Kill The Curse!
by lunaryu
Summary: After he defeats Hagoromo Gitsune, something unbelievable happens to Rikuo. He finds his other half sleeping beside him the next morning! What's happening? Moreover, what kind of chaos will ensue in Keikain household after that? AU,Yoru/Rikuo. UPDATE! The long awaited chapter 11!
1. Is This A Curse?

**Kill The Curse!**

**Fandom: **Nurarihyon no Mago

**Rating: **T/Pg-15 (might increase in later chapters)

**Genre: **Humor/Romance

**Pairing: **Yoru/Rikuo (main), some Ryuuji/Akifusa (if you squint) and Ryuuji/Yura (siscom much?)

**Summary: **_After he defeats Hagoromo Gitsune, something unbelievable happens to Rikuo. He finds his other half sleeping beside him the next morning! What's happening? Moreover, what kind of chaos will ensue in Keikain Family household after that?_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei. Luna only borrows the characters to play with.<strong>

**Warning: **_**AU **__(yeah, it is set at the time __just after__ defeating Hagoromo and during Rikuo's stay in Keikain Main House), __**shounen ai **__(it's clear by looking at the main pairing)__** slight oOC-ness **__(by now, everyone must have realized that I suck at making IC *lol*), __**fluf **__(high probable, I'm in the mood), __**slight incest **__(for Ryuuji/Yura, but you can see it as a family love too… Ryuuji has siscom that's why *lol*), __**language **__(it's bound to happen with yakuza youkai around), etc… (will be stated in later chapters)_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) **or **pika318 (fan fiction net), **thank you very much for beta-ing this story as well! XD

**A/N: **Yahooo! Everyone! Meet Luna-chi again in the new series of Nurarihyon no Mago fan fiction! XD Finally, the first chapter of Kill The Curse! for Yoru/Rikuo lovers who had voted in July last year, I know you've been waiting for a long time to read this, so I won't say too many things here. Just ENJOY!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: <strong>_**Is this a Curse?**_

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><p><em>Something has changed within me<em>

_Something is not the same*_

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>"<em>I love you, Seimeeeei!"<em>

Yoru heard the sad wail of a mother who was betrayed and sent to hell by her own son and the silver-black haired youkai's heart was burnt with rage at this Nue, Abe no Seimei, the source of pain and heartache for him, his father, grandfather, Yamabuki, his mother and even Hagoromo Gitsune herself.

"_Only you I will never forgive, NUE!"_

Rikuo, a chocolate-black haired boy opened his dark-honey colored eyes in a surprise as he dreamed about that particular scene which occurred the previous day. He blinked once and twice before his sight recognized the high ceiling of the room he was staying in.

"Huh…?" Rikuo said as he woke up, sitting up slowly. He immediately felt the sting on his entire body and winced painfully. "Ugh… hurts…" he moaned slightly as he tried to move his muscles. They were all sore in various places and it was totally unpleasant waking up feeling like he had been hit by a truck.

Well, if you counted Tsuchigumo's punches which were obviously more powerful than the impact of getting hit by a truck, then no one could blame him for feeling like that. Moreover, getting maimed by Seimei's fear and power as well… plus Rikuo's training with Gyuuki for a few days before that … he hadn't been able to rest and recover fully from all of that.

Rikuo tried to recall what had happened before. Judging from the color of light that streamed from the window, it was close to dusk right then. He then remembered passing out after he came to the Keikain house in the morning after he defeated Hagoromo Gitsune and somehow sent Seimei back to hell (even though he went on his own free will because his body hadn't been strong enough to stay in human world yet).

However, Rikuo also faced difficulties in remembering the detail of what he had done before he passed out from all the fatigue.

_Let's see—_slowly, pieces and bits of images about his memory were coming back to him when he concentrated.

After Yoru defeated Hagoromo Gitsune and Seimei went back to hell, he led his men to the Keikain Family house following Yura, Ryuuji and Mamiru as soon as Zen finished treating their wounds. Nearing the almost demolished main house, dawn had finally arrived and as the sunlight hit Yoru, he slowly turned back to Rikuo.

Rikuo and Nura Gumi's party then were greeted by Aotabo in front of the gate and the bewildered looking Onmyoujis who saw them went in alert, thinking that another horde of youkai came to attack them and the Keikain Main House again. But of course, Ryuuji (who was reluctant) and Yura stopped them.

The Keikain brother and sister then walked to Akifusa, a man with straight long platinum blond hair and beautiful reddish amber colored eyes and they seemed talking about something important while Mamiru kept his eyes on Rikuo and his yakuza-youkai family.

Rikuo then was brought to Akifusa by Ryuuji and introduced to the older man swiftly. Ryuuji said Akifusa could make a sword that could kill demons, just like Hidemoto who created Nenekirimaru. Rikuo's sword was broken by Seimei during their fight, so the middle school boy, also the Sandaime of the Nura Clan, asked Akifusa to repair it for him.

Rikuo didn't expect Akifusa to be so… grateful when he asked the older man. He didn't know the reason, but it seemed something had happened. Ryuuji told Rikuo to mind his own business and he didn't pry further.

And then… Rikuo met his human friends again since the Kiyo Cross Supernatural Investigation Squad's members were also staying there during the war, oblivious to what actually happened in the youkai world as always. Shortly later, his youkai family came parading into the front yard of Keikain Family whose members freaked out because so many youkai decided to stay there for a while without fear of being terminated by the Onmyoujis.

Rikuo laughed at that, amused by seeing Ryuuji so close to exploding in fury and horror because his hated nemesis called youkai (especially from Nura Clan) made his home theirs in a matter of moments. However, with his own handicapped condition, minding his broken arm, he couldn't really start to destroy them. In addition, Yura was grabbing his neck, asking him to calm down and remember that Nura Gumi was their ally now to defeat Nue in the near future.

After that, Rikuo also remembered that he was talking to his friends who slightly freaked out because he showed up with so many bandages on his body. They fussed over him for a while before he assured them that he wasn't attacked by youkai and he was hurt because he fell from one of the stairs of the ancient temple in Kyoto and he was sorry that he was late because he had to stay in the hospital for awhile.

That… until Rikuo felt he was losing consciousness. He staggered, and before he knew what happened, he blacked out. Rikuo guessed he had been asleep since then and woke up just now.

"Huh? I thought the Keikain Family's Main House was destroyed, so where am I right now?" Rikuo tried to look around, but the room was bare except for the futon and the small table at the far side of the room. He wasn't familiar with the room, so he knew he wasn't in his home in Ukiyoe either.

_Maybe it's a spare mansion or something…?_—Rikuo shrugged then, not really caring if he was in the main house or spare house as long as he could rest. But the movement brought another wave of pain to his body and he winced again.

"Ugh… I guess it's still too much for my human body, huh…?" Rikuo then looked at the bandages on his arms and chest. He also touched the white fabric on his head and face. He must have looked really pathetic right then. He wished he was as strong as Yoru who could handle a lot of pain.

Rikuo sighed deeply while lying down again, deciding not to force himself to get out of the futon lest the pain returned again. He stared at the wooden ceiling while thinking and reminiscing about what had happened and what he had heard so far with regards to his father and Yamabuki, as well as the enemy of his family.

There was a lot of pain and heartache… all because of that Nue… and Sanmoto… his father's enemy… Rikuo's enemy… Nura Gumi's enemy.

_Humans' number one enemy …._

Rikuo had to train more. He had to get stronger so he could be ready to face Seimei when he decided to strike in the future. A year… he had time to become stronger. Maybe he would stay in Toono a little longer this time to train….

"Ah, but then how about school?" Rikuo had just remembered that particular problem. The summer vacation was almost over. In a day or two he had to return to Tokyo and to the stupid untouched summer home work that was waiting at home for him to finish before he returned to school.

_Damn… I will have to pull an all-nighter again for this…—_Rikuo sighed again weakly, closing his eyes before moaning dejectedly. _My life is such a mess…_

"…_kuo…"_

Rikuo opened his eyes again and shifted to his side to look around. He thought he heard someone calling his name. He saw nothing except the thin air around him. "Just my imagination?" he mumbled confusedly.

"…_Rikuo…"_

Rikuo blinked as he heard the voice again. He knew that voice as he heard it more clearly. How couldn't he? It was a gentle low baritone voice he had always heard whenever he spoke with someone in his inner world. It was… "Yoru?" He whispered _his_ name quietly, widening his eyes in surprise.

A gentle small chuckle that replied his call was like a melody in Rikuo's ear. Yoru must have found a way to speak to him through inside his head somehow. His trick was getting advanced apparently that he could influence Rikuo even though he was still in his day form.

"_I'm glad you're finally awake."_

Rikuo smiled at the voice. He closed his eyes to try to go inside, to meet his other half. In no time, he was faced by the silver-black haired youkai on top of a Sakura tree branch. Yoru's deep rich crimson colored orbs softened as he looked at the smaller boy with dark-honey eyes who looked upward at him with a gentle smile on his face as well.

"_Are you okay, Rikuo?" _ the youkai asked then, looking visibly concerned now.

"I'm fine now," Rikuo replied, his smile widening slightly so as to show his other half that he was completely okay now.

There was a brief silence as those red eyes raked over Rikuo's body, making the smaller boy self-conscious. Even though in his inner world they were merely 'images', it seemed Yoru could still feel how 'injured' his host was.

"_I'm sorry…"_ Yoru said so suddenly, breaking the silence and surprising Rikuo.

"Why are you apologizing?" Rikuo asked, tilting his head aside in a slight confusion.

Yoru smiled ruefully from his spot before he jumped down to get closer to Rikuo. He landed soundlessly in front of the boy and reached to put his palm on Rikuo's cheek.

Rikuo's heart thumped slightly faster at the touch of Yoru's cold skin on his heated one. It was weird, really. They shouldn't have any sense of touch in the inner world, so it was surprising that Rikuo felt that way.

"Yoru…?" Rikuo stared back at those deep rubies and Yoru sighed deeply.

"_You feel the pain that you shouldn't have to… because I'm not strong enough…" _Yoru said slowly, quietly, almost whispering and Rikuo had to strain his hearing because he almost couldn't hear it, which was another peculiar thing because Yoru was supposed to be his alter ego and what Yoru thought should have been known by Rikuo as well.

"What are you talking about? You are me. What you feel, I feel it too. Aren't you the one who said that we're one even though we're different?" Rikuo couldn't help asking, getting even more confused by the second because it felt off. Something was wrong. He couldn't read Yoru at all.

"_I told you to leave the youkai matters to me… but I couldn't keep that promise because without you, I wouldn't be able to use Matoi,"_ Yoru said, looking slightly depressed. _"You were supposed to be worried over the human aspects of our life only, that was the deal… but my lack of strength dragged you into this side as well… I'm very sorry for that…"_

"Ah…!" Rikuo instantly understood. "The training with Gyuuki…" he nodded, understanding what Yoru meant. He did train with Gyuuki using his human body as Rikuo, and not as Yoru.

"_Not just that,"_ Yoru spoke slowly, stroking Rikuo's cheek which had turned slightly pink because the odd feeling in Rikuo's chest got weirder by the second.

"Eh?" Rikuo blinked again, feeling hot so suddenly. He was confused why he felt this way. It was just Yoru… but the way Yoru looked at him with those crimson eyes… the way their bodies seemed to get closer and closer… and was that Yoru's hand on his waist? What was happening?

Rikuo's head was spinning at this strange development. He didn't know what was going on and he didn't have a proper reaction for this. "Yoru… I don't… I don't understand…" he said, his voice quivering slightly in a slight anxiety.

Yoru's hand on his cheeks moved down slowly to Rikuo's neck and stayed there for a moment before it went down to his shoulder. The way Yoru touched him made Rikuo shudder, but it wasn't unpleasant or anything. It was just… unfamiliar, unlike his usual touch. That hand then went down on his back and Rikuo widened his eyes as Yoru bowed down slightly to hug him.

"Y-Yoru?" Rikuo put his hesitant hands on Yoru's back slowly, glancing at the face that was momentarily buried in the nape of his neck.

"_Rikuo… I… towards you…"_

Rikuo caught a few of Yoru's words, but before he could comprehend what the youkai was saying…

"Nura-kun! Dinner tiiiime!"

Rikuo opened his eyes in a jolt of surprise as he heard the loud voice which belonged to one of his friends, the loudest and the most stubborn one, Kiyojyuji Kiyotsugu.

"Wait a sec! Kiyotsugu-kun! You're not supposed to shout and wake him up in that kind of manner!" Kana's voice that scolded the dark haired boy was heard soon after.

"That's right, Kiyo-kun! You could scare and shock Rikuo-kun!" Tsurara's annoyed voice followed then.

"Oh, right… sorry, sorry," Kiyotsugu laughed loudly and sheepishly.

Rikuo looked at the sliding door before it was opened and his friends entered briskly.

"Jeez, Kiyotsugu could really surprise people," Saori commented, combing her long blonde hair back.

"Well, it's Kiyotsugu-kun alright…" Natsumi chuckled apologetically.

"What are you guys talking about? That's the good part about Kiyotsugu-kun! Impossibly rich, loudly honest and super confident!" Shima tried to defend his best friend's honor, totally in spirit even though Kiyotsugu completely ignored that and the others' sweat dropped at him.

"Kiyotsugu being rich has nothing to do with him being loud, does it…?" Everyone, except Kiyotsugu, mumbled quietly in the background.

"Everyone?" Now Rikuo called from his spot on the futon.

"Rikuo-kun!" Kana and Tsurara called at the same time, face brightening at seeing the chocolate haired boy already awake before they looked at each other in obvious spark of rivalry between their eyes.

"Nura-kun! You're awake!" Kiyotsugu's face also brightened as he looked at Rikuo.

"How's your body, Nura?" Shima asked after walking closer to him.

"Better, but I'm still pretty beaten up," Rikuo grinned sheepishly. Well, the confusing matter with Yoru could stay at the back of his head for now. It was the time to interact with his human friends after all.

"Wa—, I meant, Rikuo-kun, you shouldn't push your body too much. Remember you're still injured," Tsurara, the dark-bluish haired Yuki Onna said while sitting down beside the futon.

"Um, thank you, Tsurara," Rikuo smiled at the girl and she blushed happily at that.

Kana looked slightly irked at that so she also sat beside the futon at the other side. "Rikuo-kun, do you need anything? Water maybe? Or pain killers? I'll help you bring it here," she said while smiling cutely at Rikuo and he blushed at the offer.

"Ah, th-thank you, Kana-chan… That will be very helpful," Rikuo shyly smiled at her as well and Kana also blushed cutely in reaction seeing it.

That, before the brunet and the dark haired Yuki Onna glared at each other again, Rikuo sweating nervously in the middle.

"Nura-kun, you're surprisingly a sinful boy, even though you look so innocent…" Saori cackled at the funny sight of Rikuo getting troubled over the girls that tried to get his attention.

"Wa-wait, Maki-chan, that's just a mean thing to say…" Natsumi tried to hold down her own laughter at the amusing view as well.

Rikuo blushed in embarrassment at that. Then for some reasons, Shima was glaring at him heatedly and Kiyotsugu had just started to speak about his recent research about youkai after asking around the Keikain House for much complete information about the war.

There was no talk about finding youkai anywhere, so he assumed his men had followed his orders to stay out of his friends' eyesight. He also hoped that they didn't cause that much trouble for Keikain Family by staying there, at least until Rikuo could get up and leave as well.

"Rikuo-kun?"

Rikuo snapped out of his reverie as he heard Kana and Tsurara called him again. "Oh, sorry… I'm still gathering my strength to stay focused," Rikuo said, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I don't think I will be able to move around yet. My body is still aching," he said again, smiling ruefully.

"Oh, do you think you should go back to hospital?" Kana asked, really looking concerned now.

"Ah, don't worry. I'm fine. I just need rest," Rikuo said, trying to assure her.

"Then, I will bring your dinner here, Rikuo-kun. I'll help you eat as well," Tsurara stood up and Kana jerked up in surprise as she left.

"I'll help too!" Kana said, standing up as well before she ran after Tsurara getting out of the room, leaving the very amused Saori and Natsumi, an annoyed Shima and a confused Kiyostugu who didn't know why both Kana and Tsurara retreated.

Rikuo sighed deeply as he heard the girls argue on the corridor and a bead of sweat dropped from his head as he realized that Shima was still glaring at him. "What's wrong, Shima-kun?" he asked, rather nervously.

"What's your relationship with Oikawa-san, Nura?" Shima finally asked.

"Eh? Tsurara? She's a… a friend," Rikuo said, still sweating profoundly at the suspicious look Shima was giving him.

"You look too much close for just being friends. And you call her with her first name without any suffix to boot!" Shima argued, still looking skeptical.

"Err… well," Rikuo looked away, trying to find a suitable answer for that question. Shima seemed to adore Tsurara more than just a friend; he had to be careful in choosing his words. "Tsurara… is a close friend, almost like a sister to me," he smiled then, finding there was no harm in telling Shima that she was his family. "I'm sure Tsurara also feels the same about it. We're… family after all…"

Shima widened his eyes at that, so did Natsumi and Saori, looking surprised, while Kiyotsugu raised his eyebrows in wonder. "A family?" he looked curious now.

Rikuo then looked up at his friends. "Don't tell her that I told you this, okay? Tsurara's family circumstances aren't normal, you see… so she has stayed in my house since we're little," he said and everyone gasped at that.

"So you two lived together?" Shima set a horror look.

"You can say that, but… she's more like…working for my family," Rikuo said, looking at his lap. "We grew up together… so she's like a sister to me," he smiled nostalgically now, remembering his childhood when Tsurara was always beside him and playing with him. "I'm the only child in my family, and that house can be so big and scary sometimes, so I'm grateful that she's there. She's older than me, so she's always taking care of me too, just like a big sister," now he smiled cheerily and in front of that innocent smile, Shima seemed unable to stay angry at him for being so close to Tsurara all the time.

Though, Rikuo was sure that Shima was still jealous because his expression was conflicted.

"I see… No wonder she dotes on you so much, Nura-kun," Natsumi also smiled.

"Yeah, she insisted on calling me Rikuo-sama or Waka at home, though, that really bothers me. Luckily, she agreed to call me Rikuo-kun at school. But she's clumsy, so sometimes her bad habits surfaces. Don't mind her if it slips out of her mouth, okay?" Rikuo grinned, pretty amused at the cover story which wasn't that far off from reality.

"She calls you Waka at home?" Saori, Shima and Kiyotsugu made an odd face at that. Natsumi just chuckled.

"She's a fan of gangster movies?" Natsumi laughed now.

"That's why she's friends with Kurata," Rikuo nodded and the other made an 'Oooh!' remark, as if they had just realized the real reason of why Kurata was with them.

"Ah!" Shima then snapped up, as if he just realized something. "Don't tell me, Kurata likes Oikawa-san?" he looked so pale that everyone thought he was about to pass out.

Rikuo laughed at that. "No way! Kurata is like a brother to her," he then repelled the spiky-short-blond haired boy's fear of that particular subject with his words. "Moreover, even if Kurata is a gangster, he's actually very soft and protective, especially to children. You don't have to worry about getting beaten," he then grinned again widely at that, making the other smile as well at his positive thought on everything.

"Only Nura-kun will say that about a gangster, right?" Saori chuckled.

"Indeed," Natsumi agreed and they laughed slightly as well.

"Ah, jeez… Nura, you're unbeatable," Shima sighed, scratching the back of his neck with troubled look before he started smiling and grinning as well.

"What are you guys talking about? Kurata-kun is in a gang because the members of that gang made him their leader as they pleased, not because he wants to be there," Kiyotsugu said evenly while opening his laptop.

…

"Eh?" the others turned to the dark haired boy in surprise, beads of sweat rolling down their cheeks.

"How do you know that?" Saori and Natsumi asked them at the same time, looking curious and wondering.

"I asked him and that's what he told me," Kiyotsugu simply answered and the others gasped in shock at that.

"Ki-Kiyotsugu-kun… you're so brave…!" Shima looked at Kiyotsugu like a hero or some short with tearful eyes.

"He's just simply reckless like always," Saori said, sweat dropping and Natsumi just laughed apologetically again, shaking her head.

Before long, Tsurara and Kana were back, and the situation was focused once more on the girls which tried to compete over who would help Rikuo eat. Rikuo got really nervous when the room began to get very cold as the argument heated. He hurriedly separated the two girls and announced he could eat by himself, so they didn't have to help him at all.

Rikuo's body was still aching, but it was better rather than to be in the middle of Tsurara and Kana's cat-fight.

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>"Hmm… she isn't coming here, huh?" Kana looked at the door from beside Rikuo's futon.<p>

"Who?" Rikuo raised his eyebrows at that.

"Keikain-san, Rikuo-kun," Tsurara answered helpfully.

"Ah…" Rikuo nodded, suddenly remembering about his other friend that he tried to help by coming here to Kyoto in the first place.

_That's right… her grandfather… ah, she must have been still grieving_—Rikuo felt sad at that moment. He knew how it felt to lose a family. He might not remember it much because he was still very little when he lost his father. All Rikuo knew was that his mother, his grandfather, Kubinashi and the others were crying so heartbreakingly over his father's death.

Thinking about it… it must have hurt Rikuo so much back then too because he didn't understand why he couldn't see his father anymore. That emptiness… that loneliness… it killed a part of him on the inside.

"_It's okay… I'm here… Rikuo…"_

That melodious voice made Rikuo blink in surprise. He waited for another second before he closed his eyes again, whispering Yoru's name inside his fluttering heart. He felt warm. It was as if Yoru was embracing him.

Before long, Rikuo forgot that his friends were still with him and fell asleep feeling content, not sensing any oddity at all that he was totally comfortable even though his body was supposed to still hurt.

#

"Huh?" Kana then turned at Rikuo while Tsurara was talking to Saori about something. The brunet then chuckled amusedly seeing the chocolate-black haired boy snoring lightly.

"What's wrong, Kana-chan?" Natsumi, seeming to notice Kana's amusement, asked from beside Saori, which later interested the others as well.

"Look, Rikuo-kun's sleeping face is so cute," Kana giggled happily.

The others moved closer and saw what Kana saw and they started to chuckle as well.

"Let's take a photograph of him like this," Shima grinned naughtily, bringing out his cell phone.

"Ah, give me a copy too, Shima-kun!" Kana squealed excitedly.

"Hey! Don't just take Rikuo-kun's picture as you please!" Tsurara scolded and tried to stop the blond boy, but then Kiyotsugu just took a picture of Rikuo's sleeping face with his digital camera.

"Yosh, our album for this year summer vacation is complete!" Kiyotsugu said after connecting the camera to his laptop and then uploaded the picture to his Kiyo Cross Supernatural Investigation Squad's folder.

"Kiyotsugu-kun, you're making an album of our activities?" Everyone asked in surprise.

"Of course, if you want to see them, let's let Nura-kun rest and go back to our room. My battery is low," Kiyotsugu closed the lid of his laptop and lured his friends to come with him, leaving Rikuo to rest peacefully in his room.

Kana was in dilemma. She actually wanted to stay. But, Kiyotsugu had made an effort to allow Rikuo to rest alone. She sighed then. "Let's go, Oikawa-san. It's better if we let Rikuo-kun rest a bit more. I'm sure tomorrow he'll get better and join us cheerfully again," she then offered her hand to Tsurara who looked hesitant to leave Rikuo as well.

Tsurara glanced at Rikuo for a moment before he turned to face Kana again and nodded. "You're right. Wa-, I meant, Rikuo-kun needs his peaceful rest," she took Kana's hand and stood as well, leaving the room once again together.

"Good night,"

"Sleep tight,"

Both said at the same time and turned to each other in surprise before they giggled and closed the sliding door.

Rikuo seemed having a very nice dream in his sleep.

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p><em>Even waking up to it brings no sadness<em>

_Such a world is waiting for the two of us__**_

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Rikuo felt really comfortable. It was very warm and relaxing. It felt so good sleeping there. If it wasn't for the fact that he felt the stream of sunlight hitting his face, he would be content to just continue sleeping. But, since it was morning and it was the time to get up after a long rest the day before, Rikuo decided to open his eyes slowly.<p>

However, he didn't expect that the first thing he would see the moment he woke up was… Yoru's face.

Rikuo blinked. Yoru's face was still there.

He blinked again twice now, trying to cast away the remnant of his sleepiness because Rikuo was surely hallucinating if he saw what he saw right then.

Yoru's sleeping face stubbornly stayed in his sight even after the third blink and after he rubbed his eyelids and opened his eyes more widely.

Silence fell upon the still very quiet room until Rikuo decided it was a very good time to freak out.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

If that deafening manly bloody murder scream didn't wake up the entire residence of Keikain spare Mansion, not even Seimei could wake them up.

"W-w-w-w-why—?" Rikuo was in total shock as he scrambled away from the still sleeping figure of his other half, Yoru, who didn't even stir despite Rikuo's scream.

_How on earth—! What the hell is going on?_—Rikuo also widened his eyes to an impossible size, like saucers, beads of sweat breaking out his entire face, and he was feeling mortified as well as confused beyond belief.

"Why THE HELL is Yoru… OUTSIDE MY BODY?"

**End of Chapter 1**

**Tbc…**

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><p><strong>Additional Notes:<strong>

*****Taken from Defying Gravity lyrics by Wicked

**Taken from the English Translation of Japanese Song 'Uso mitaina I Love You' by Utada Hikaru.

**About Kill The Curse!: **I call this story 'Kill The Curse!' because well… it's dealing with a curse for one and the plot will swirl around Rikuo and Yoru's struggle to break it? Hmm… it's not exactly like that, but anyway, if I reveal the plot here, it will spoil your fun, so… *grins*. Oh, and since it happens in Kyoto, there will be a lot interaction with Keikain Family XP.

**A/N: **So, what do you think about the first chapter, readers? Ah, the format is similar to Nura's Golden Days, right? Yes, it's because I HOPE this story will be as popular as Nura's Golden Days *grins* I hope you will like it and I will be very GRATEFUL if you can comment on this story as well because I won't know you like it or not if you don't tell me, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy making it! Meet again at the next chapter!


	2. Sense and Sensibility

**Disclaimer: Rikuo, Yoru and everyone in Nuramago are Shiibashi Hiroshi-sensei's children. Luna only plays with them ^_^.**

**Warning:** _AU, Yoru being Yoru *lol*, shounen ai (obviously), language, slight oOCness, etc…_

**Beta: mittens 220 (LJ) **or **pika318 (FF net), **thank you very much for beta this despite your busy schedule! Happy Chinese New Year for you and everyone that celebrate!

**A/N: **Sorry for having to make you wait for so long. I was doing challenge fics and got too absorbed in making them that I just have time to put this down together now. Oh, and I was honestly shocked when I saw the reviews. Never did I think that this story will get so many reviews in the first chapter. I'm so HAPPY! Thank you very much! I LOVE you guys! XDDD

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: <em>Sense and Sensibility<em>**

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><p><em>Many times after struggling I would arrive<em>

_Before the same door and start to knock on it__*_

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Rikuo stared at his youkai who was still sleeping on <em>his<em> futon, still in shock, with widened eyes, as if he had seen an alien from outer space.

_This is impossible! Why is Yoru outside my body?_—Rikuo's panic didn't end there because another wave of _big_ trouble followed soon after, together with the sound of running steps from the entire house and no, he wasn't exaggerating, because he heard the voices of some… or actually, a lot of people asking each other like:

"_What's going on?"_

"_I heard someone shouting!"_

"_Are we under attack?"_

"_It's from this way!"_

"_That's where Nura-kun's room is!"_

…and many more, so no, Rikuo wasn't exaggerating at all.

"Crap—!" Rikuo didn't know what to do now. Soon enough, all the Keikains would barge in his room and they would find him and Yoru… separated! This was insane! What the hell should he do?

"Nura-kun!" It was Yura's voice, and she was very close to the door of Rikuo's room.

"Rikuo-kun, are you okay?" This time, it was Kana, also in close proximity, apparently.

"Rikuo-kun! What happened?" Now, it was Tsurara, and she sounded very worried.

_Aaaah! What should I do?_—Rikuo was tempted to crawl back inside the futon and hide himself and Yoru there, but then they would still enter the room and would definitely notice Yoru's presence since Yoru's build wouldn't be covered entirely by the blanket. Thus, upon seeing Yoru inside Rikuo's futon, they would definitely freak out and all hell would break loose after that.

In the midst of Rikuo's dread, a crazy idea struck him like lightning. He took a deep breath and yelled "DON'T COME IN!" very loudly.

The noises outside his room died down for a moment before someone stubbornly tried to enter the room by attempting to open the sliding door.

"GYAAA! Stop! I'm NAKED here! Don't come in!" Rikuo lied, still yelling while holding the door from the inside so no one could open it.

There was another pause in the hallway before "N-naked…?" Yura's voice whispered and Rikuo could almost see her blushing from where he stood behind the door.

"Kyaaa! Rikuo-kun, you pervert!" Kana shouted from the outside, and she must have been blushing as well judging from the tone she was using.

"Rikuo-sama… naked…!" There was a thudding sound after the astounded whisper, so he guessed Tsurara must have fainted.

"Why the hell are you naked?" Now Kiyotsugu's indignant and embarrassed voice demanded answers as well from the outside.

_Damn! Why NAKED of all things?_—Rikuo wanted to kick himself for being so idiotic, making such a lame excuse, but it was a spontaneous reaction! He couldn't think of anything else!

"I'm sorry! It was too hot last night, so I shed all my clothes!" Rikuo yelled again.

"Quit yelling! We can hear you just fine!" Now Ryuuji's very annoyed voice was heard, yelling back. Rikuo also heard his heavy stomping steps towards his room. "Sheesh, you brat…! Why the hell were you screaming in the first place then?" he asked then, sounding pissed.

"Ah, it… it was a nightmare… that's all. I'm sorry for disturbing you guys so early in the morning. I won't do it again, so please go back to your respective rooms. I'll be fine…" Rikuo tried to explain, and he tried to sound convincing, but even he knew that the excuse just now was ridiculous. Who would wake up screaming from a nightmare these days?

Moreover, it was Rikuo of all people. _Really?_ Please… he was a quarter youkai and both Ryuuji and Yura knew about that!

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need help?" Yura asked again, still sounding concerned.

"No, I'm fine, really…. I just want to go back to sleep for a few hours…" Rikuo said again, hoping to all deities that they would buy it.

There were whispers here and there and then Rikuo heard Ryuuji's voice dismissing the other Keikain's members.

"Okay, Nura-kun. Breakfast will be ready in two hours. If you're up to it, you can join us in the breakfast table later, or if you're still too weak to walk around, I'll just tell someone to bring the food to your room," Yura said again, sounding calm enough now.

Rikuo sighed deeply in relief before loosening his hold on the door. "Okay… I think I'll join you later," he replied slowly.

Then Rikuo heard Yura agree before she urged everyone to get back to their room. "Ah, don't forget to bring Oikawa-san back to her room!"

Rikuo heard her last order to some of the Keikain members and then he heard the fading sound of footsteps as everyone left.

When Rikuo couldn't hear any more footsteps… "T-that was so close…!" he collapsed in sitting position on the floor, his forehead touching the wooden part of the door while he was closing his eyes, a bead of sweat still rolling down his cheek. Then, he glanced behind where Yoru was still asleep on the futon in a supine position.

"Ugh… what do I do with him…? No, what the hell happened to us…? Why is Yoru… outside my body at all?" Rikuo thumped his forehead on the wood before he stood once more. He turned around and then cautiously walked towards the sleeping youkai.

As always, his youkai was gorgeous with his dual colored hair, as silver as moonlight on the top and as dark as night at the bottom. His face looked serene and he seemed to not hear any disturbance despite his earlier scream that woke up the entire house and his constant yells telling them _not to_ enter the room.

"How can he still sleep so peacefully…?" Upon looking closer, Rikuo realized his mistake. His other half wasn't sleeping! He was…!

"Impossible!" Rikuo hurriedly touched Yoru's face. It was as cold as ice. "Oh my god! No way! Yoru!"

Thinking the worst, Rikuo quickly turned Yoru's body around to look for signs of breathing. As he had expected, he couldn't find any. "Crap! Yoru! Yoru, wake up!" He slapped Yoru's cheeks twice, thrice, but it was no use.

_Yoru is… dead?_—Rikuo's face paled at the horrible thought. _NO! Calm down! This can't be happening! Yoru is outside my body… and he isn't breathing! No way! Think, Rikuo! THINK!_

Rikuo berated himself because he was panicking and then started to hyperventilate as well. He slapped himself hard on the both of his own cheeks. Then he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Come on, Rikuo…! You're better than this!"

Rikuo shook his head to clear his mind and then remembered about the lesson in survival training he had gotten back then in school. The first he had to do if he found a person who didn't breathe was… right, checking the pulse!

Rikuo did just that, and THANK GOD he found it. It was very weak, but there was pulse on Yoru's neck. "Okay… then… then what?" He raked his brain, trying to remember what to do. "Oh! Right… open his mouth by pushing his jaw… and then… make sure his breathing passage is free from any obstruction… including the tongue…"

Rikuo situated himself on Yoru's left side and tried to open his mouth. With his fingers, he made sure that Yoru's tongue wasn't on the way. "Then… then…!" Rikuo's face flushed a deep shed of red at the memory.

_Aaaah! I have to put my mouth on his? Dear god! I have to kiss Yoru?_—Rikuo panicked again, but he didn't exactly have a choice. He didn't know since when Yoru didn't breathe. He heard that if brain didn't get oxygen for more than four minutes, the brain cells could die!

"Eeei! It's not a time to get confused or hesitant! I have to save Yoru!" Rikuo hardened his resolution and then closed up Yoru's nose, tilted his jaw keeping the mouth open, and put his own mouth on Yoru's to push his breath into him.

Rikuo didn't have any time to feel Yoru's lips, but the coldness almost made Rikuo himself shiver in anxiety.

_One… two…—_then Rikuo counted to five before he repeated the maneuver. He breathed into Yoru until two or three cycles (he didn't exactly count) and at the half of the fourth or fifth cycle, Yoru's body suddenly jerked to life. He gasped and sucked the air violently from his nose and mouth, forcing Rikuo to release the youkai as he sat up so suddenly.

"Yor—!" Rikuo almost shouted in surprise and joy, but he quickly slapped his mouth shut before he could scream and create another ruckus.

Yoru coughed hard and gasped again seeming to try to breathe heavily while still coughing. "W-wha—?" he looked confused and bewildered, clutching his chest as well, and then he widened his eyes as he saw Rikuo in front of him.

"Yoru? Yoru, are you okay?" Rikuo asked, reaching his hand on Yoru's back to stroke it soothingly.

"Ri—Rikuo…?" Yoru's voice was croaky and raspy and he looked like hell with those cold sweats on his face. Rikuo knew that a youkai's skin was supposed to be cold, but this coldness was more like a product of a sickness. "Did you just… kiss me?"

Rikuo fell down at Yoru's sudden ridiculous question before he recovered from his comical gesture and yelled "Is that really the first question you wanted to ask in this bizarre situation?" with sweaty blushing face. He couldn't believe it! Was Yoru this idiotic?

"Right… sorry…" Yoru shook his head and once again, looked around. "How…? What…?" he touched himself and then touched Rikuo, looking very puzzled. "What… the hell…?" Now he looked like in total disbelief.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too earlier when I saw your face after I woke up from my sleep," Rikuo nodded, tapping Yoru's back lightly, completely understanding his shock.

Yoru was still pacing his short shallow breath when set his astounded expression. "This… why am I…?" he couldn't even finish his question because it seemed it was still hard for him to breathe. He coughed again for a few moments before he took a deep breath and released it slowly. He repeated it for a few times until he seemed able to breathe normally again.

"Honestly, I don't know," Rikuo answered just after Yoru seemed okay to talk again. He still had his hand on Yoru's back too.

It was very weird, feeling Yoru so solid right at that moment. Of course Rikuo could feel Yoru's touch when they were in his inner world, but every touch and skin contact in that world was more fluidic. It was there, but it wasn't as well. It was very hard to describe.

"Okay… but you kissed me?" Yoru repeated his earlier question, seeming to be very curious of why Rikuo did what he did.

Rikuo blushed hard at that. "You're still talking about that? I didn't kiss you! You know what? I woke up, you were there and you weren't breathing! So NO, it's not a kiss! I gave you a CPR!" he protested in annoyance and proceeded to explain what he did before Yoru regained consciousness.

"Oh… okay…" Yoru nodded, seeming to understand before he looked thoughtful for a moment and then spoke again. "So… I'm in the human world… without using your body…."

Yoru just stated the obvious, and then looked at Rikuo drowsily. He noticeably looked exhausted. Well, if he just woke up from a literal breathless sleep, then maybe it couldn't be helped. But Yoru was a youkai, right? Was it normal for him to look… so sick? He asked strange questions too. What was wrong with Yoru?

"Don't say it in that manner. It's very misleading," Rikuo's sweat dropped. "But… what should we do about it? You certainly can't show yourself here. We're in an Onmyoujis' mansion, for God's sake," he continued, scratching the back of his head. He then put his hand on his chin, thinking.

"Okay, I'll call someone from our family, like _Jiichan (1)_. Who knows? He may know something about this…" Rikuo then stood up slowly, releasing his hand from Yoru and turned around to walk towards the door.

However, the seemingly innocent act appeared to have an instant _bad _effect for Yoru, because the moment Rikuo got to the door, Yoru suddenly gasped and grasped his neck in obviously pained, suffering expression.

"Ugh…!" Yoru moaned quite painfully and Rikuo halted his movement on the doorstep, just when he was about to open the sliding door.

The chocolate haired boy turned to his youkai once more, alarmed. "Yoru?"

Yoru coughed and tried to breathe, but there was a wheezing sound from him and he looked really… pale. "C-can't… breathe…!" He gasped again and collapsed on the floor in distress.

"Yoru!" Rikuo hurriedly approached Yoru and knelt beside him, trying to help or at least soothe his pain. "Yoru? Yoru! Hey, hey…!"

And then, the moment Rikuo's hand touched Yoru's back again, it was like an instant release of anti histamine for allergy reaction. The imaginary rope that sized the youkai's lungs was loosened or the obstruction in his throat was gone. He gasped again and this time the air could actually get into his lungs and he seemed to be able to breathe again.

Yoru coughed several times, trying to suck the air and release it erratically. "Hah… hah… What's… going on…? Why… can't I breathe… just now…?" The youkai looked puzzled and was probably slightly in panic because he had never experienced this kind of thing before.

Rikuo was silent, looking at Yoru very concernedly. He was still stroking Yoru's back while his brain was raking for the answer of this calamity. Evidently, this was a disaster. Then Rikuo remembered about Yoru's fight with Seimei the day before.

"This is… _no way_…!" Rikuo mumbled disbelievingly.

"What…?" Yoru looked up slightly at the smaller boy with unfocused eyes.

"No, but… this is… maybe… your real body isn't used to the human world…?" Rikuo tilted his head aside, rather confused and stern.

"Huh…?" Yoru seemed confused as well.

"I meant; all this time, Yoru was using _my_ body to appear in this world, right? Maybe your own body can't stand being in this world too much… you know, like what happened with Seimei," Rikuo explained.

At that, Yoru's face seemed to pale. "Am I… going to… melt away…?" He looked slightly mortified. It was slightly hilarious because Yoru never showed that kind of face in Rikuo's inner world before…

Or, maybe Yoru did. It was just… everything in the inner world was 'image' conjured by Rikuo and Yoru's consciousness, so there might be bias on Rikuo's part because he always pictured Yoru as a cool perfect being. The dark-honey eyed boy blushed slightly as he thought about it.

Rikuo quickly shook his head. "Maybe the effect is different. You know… if Seimei's body melts because his body isn't strong enough to get exposed to human world, then maybe you're unable to breath because of the same reason," he explained again.

"Huh…? But, I can… breathe right now…" Yoru blinked once at Rikuo with slightly dazed ruby eyes, looking bemused before shaking his head, seeming to try to chase away the dizziness he felt because of the lack of oxygen earlier.

"Eh?" Now Rikuo was dumbfounded. "Then… that's not the reason?" he retracted his hand and put it on his chin again to think.

A few moments passed, but all Rikuo got was frustration because he didn't find another reason. "Aah! I don't know! Anyway, I'll find Jiichan and return here as fast as I can!" He then stood and was about to dash away when it started all over again.

Yoru groaned and seized his own neck again because he couldn't breathe. "W-wait…! Rikuo…! I can't…!"

Rikuo, upon noticing this, couldn't walk away and had to come back to help Yoru's predicament once more to make him feel better. Then just like several moments before, Yoru could breathe again the moment Rikuo touched him. This time, it was on Yoru's shoulder.

Then, a realization seemed to dawn on Yoru's face because after he could breathe normally again under Rikuo's soothing ministration, he took Rikuo's hand and pulled the boy into a crushing hug.

"Eh?" Rikuo widened his eyes in shock and his heart started to beat really fast because… this was the exact same position he and Yoru had last night… when they were still inside his inner world.

Well, maybe it wasn't the exact position because Yoru's hand was on Rikuo's soft dual colored hair, and the other was on Rikuo's wrist, holding him gently, but strongly, which was weird because Yoru was supposed to feel weak right then because he couldn't breathe properly, but that wasn't the point. Yoru was holding him, that's what it was!

"Y-Yoru…?" Rikuo couldn't help stuttering then, feeling slightly nervous, and maybe a little embarrassed for suddenly being hugged and getting so close to Yoru… too close for his comfort.

"I understand now…" Yoru sighed, seeming to be able to breathe more easily and nicely now. "I can't breathe… if you're away from me…" he whispered softly on Rikuo's ear, tickling Rikuo and making him shiver all over again.

"Oh…!" Rikuo flushed a deep shed of red upon hearing and digesting Yoru's words and he couldn't help getting panicked. "W-w-w-w-what are you saying? P-please don't say something so… so embarrassing like that!"

Rikuo struggled, trying to push Yoru away, suddenly feeling very-very bothered and confused and damn! His face felt really hot, so it must have been very red right then. _My GOD what is Yoru doing?_—his mind screamed in alarm as well. This was very weird… like alien weird!

"No, Rikuo… please don't struggle…. I'm serious…" Yoru said again, with low breathy voice that sounded very… very seductive in Rikuo's disturbed mind.

"No! What are you thinking? Please let go!" Rikuo was shouting at this point, completely forgetting that he was in Keikain mansion, still struggling of course.

However, Yoru was famous for his stubborn personality, so he seemed to still try to tighten his hug on Rikuo's body, establishing a vice grip on Rikuo's wrist as well.

"No, I can't…! Please, calm down…. I really can't breathe if you're away… I meant; I'm unable to perform **respiration** _literally_ if you reach a certain distance from my body!" Yoru explained then, with technical term that Rikuo recognized from biology lesson.

Then the shorter boy blinked at that, immediately stopping his struggle upon digesting the explanation.

A brief silence fell inside the room for five to ten seconds before.._._.

"Eeeh…?" Rikuo turned another deep shed of crimson, feeling very dumb and totally embarrassed right now for thinking about strange things, yet his heart hadn't returned to its normal beating pace because his body was still too close to Yoru's. He almost cried for the non-existent personal space now.

"Do you understand now…?" Yoru asked then, loosening his grip slightly when Rikuo stopped struggling. "You're helping me breathe if you're close to me…" he whispered again and Rikuo squeaked at that, feeling tickled by Yoru's hot breathe near his ear _again_.

Frankly, it aroused some unfamiliar odd feelings inside Rikuo's heart and he couldn't calm down because of it. He felt giddy and restless.

"I-I-I understand but… can't you at least release the hug? It's… it's very embarrassing…" Rikuo stuttered again, not really sure how to take it. After all, why would Yoru be unable to breathe if he wasn't near him? This was so odd!

"No… I don't want to," Yoru said, once again tightening his hug.

"EH? But why?" Rikuo protested.

"Well… it's because I feel the most relaxed with you so close to me like this…" Yoru sighed again, sounding very relieved.

Rikuo went into spontaneous combustion if it was possible, just from hearing those sweet enticing words from Yoru. His body shuddered slightly and he felt very… hot so suddenly.

Rikuo didn't know what to say and to react at Yoru's words. Even though he was supposed to be thinking and finding away to solve this oddity (read: Yoru being outside his body) and the emergency (read: Yoru unable to breathe on his own without Rikuo around him), his mind went blank and his head got dizzy for being embraced and seduced (no matter what anyone said, Yoru sounded like seducing him!) by the silver-black haired youkai.

"W-… what… do you mean…?" Rikuo then asked timidly, curious as to why Yoru suddenly acted this way towards him. He thought they already established a friendship… or brotherhood for that matter. This was not a friend or a brother usually did. The underlying feeling and innuendo were too great to ignore, damn it!

"It meant what I said…" Yoru then slowly loosened his hug and then pulled back a little to look at Rikuo's dark-honey colored eyes with his crimson orbs. "I feel most at ease… when I hold you…" he whispered again. His hand moved to caress Rikuo's cheek and Rikuo's heart thumped harder at that gesture.

"Y-Yoru…?" Rikuo couldn't help whimpering, puzzled. Yoru was looking at him with that look again in his eyes… that strange look… what was it?

Then Yoru was leaning more closely to Rikuo's face and at that point, Rikuo was dumb if he didn't realize what Yoru was after. He tensed and was about to push Yoru away when his room sliding door suddenly opened.

"Nura-kun, are you awake? I have something to talk to you before break—!"

And the familiar voice that followed soon after was cut so suddenly as the owner of that high cute voice, which belonged to none other than Keikain Yura, lifted her face, unintentionally witnessing what was about to happen in the room.

Upon noticing or more like…being caught off guard by Yura's sudden, unexpected entrance, a fleeting thought crossed Rikuo's mind. _It's over… my life…!—_and he paled severely seeing the shocked expression in Yura's face.

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Ryuuji was walking down the corridor to Akifusa's room when…<p>

_KABOOOM!_

"Ack—!" the dark haired Onmyouji yelped widening his eyes in shock, being thrown down by surprise as the explosion occurred, just a couple of rooms before the one where he was walking in front. "What the fu—!"

Ryuuji couldn't help cursing, trying to protect his broken arm from the impact of falling down using his healthy arm and shoulder. He then looked at the room where the explosion had come from. He instantly noticed whose rooms that was since he had just been there this morning.

Ryuuji stood up before he ran to the room that was occupied by none other than Nura Rikuo, the quarter youkai, the despicable descendant of the hated Nurarihyon. What the fuck was the kid doing anyway?

"Oi!" Ryuuji kicked down the door that miraculously still intact, despite the hole on the wall across of it and he found his little sister, Yura, activating her ridiculous 'Yura Max' Shikigami.

"How dare you—!" She growled and boy she looked pissed.

Ryuuji couldn't help watching the spectacle as his eyes were brought to focus on the source of Yura's maximum bad mood. He was outside… wait. _They_ were outside, just landing to the ground with debris and the remnant of the explosion wafting around them.

"Hiiiih!"

The smaller with short dark chocolate-black hair yelped and looked dreadful seeing the destruction of the wall, and the taller with long gravity-defying silver-black one just stood quietly, a little behind the smaller boy with his arm around his neck and waist (which was supposed to be impossible by the way, since Ryuuji knew that both the smaller and the taller were supposed to be one person).

_This is…!_—Ryuuji went into alert as well as he suspected what apparently what his sister was suspecting as well. But unlike him, Yura tended to shoot first before asking. It was her sensibility alright, but she lacked sense as always.

But that's what made Yura so interesting and fun to tease all the time.

"You impostor!" Yura shouted heatedly at the silver-black haired, crimson eyed youkai, loading energy to her shiki 'pistol' again. "How dare you touch my friend with your filthy hands…! You're going down!" She aimed another shot to the youkai, but the smaller one was faster and moved in front of the youkai with his arms spread, seeming to try to cover for him.

"Stop it! Wait a second, Keikain-san!" and Rikuo shouted loudly, surprising both Yura and Ryuuji who already brought out one of his Shikigami, Gengen.

"What are you doing, Nura-kun! Step away from him!" Yura shouted in worried look.

"No way! I can't let you hurt Yoru!" Rikuo shouted back.

"What are you saying? That youkai tried to eat you and then pose as you! I won't get fooled with that look! It's impossible! You are THERE! This guy is an impostor!" Yura yelled again, getting ready to shoot another wave of exorcising energy.

"You're wrong! He's real! He's Yoru! My other half!" Rikuo explained once more in a shout.

"What—?" Yura widened his eyes and Ryuuji was ready to attack as well.

"That's impossible. You're too easy to fool as always," Ryuuji snorted.

"_Oniichan (2)_!" Yura turned and widened her eyes more in surprise, seeming to just noticing Ryuuji's presence there.

"Devour… Garou!" then Ryuuji gave an order to his shikigami to attack Yoru.

"STOP IT!" Rikuo paled and shouted in horror at that.

However, before Garou could reach Yoru, something like big mantle of water sprayed the Shikigami away and before anyone even realized, a short boy with black hair and a plate on top of his head, which was obviously a Kappa, was already standing before Rikuo and the impostor.

"Kappa!" the chocolate haired boy cried in relief at the youkai's sudden appearance.

"Are you okay, Sandaime?" that Kappa asked, turning his head aside slightly and then he widened his eyes as he saw Rikuo and the taller youkai behind him. "There are two… Sandaime?" he looked very-very confused right then.

"_What was that?"_

"_What's the ruckus?"_

"_Was there an explosion just now?"_

And before anyone at the scene reacted, a lot of voices from the house residence were heard again.

"_What's going on?"_

"_It's coming from here!"_

And it seemed, the nightmare for Rikuo appeared at that moment, because the last two voices were Rikuo's school friends' and someone… actually five curious middle school kids ran out of the house to see what was happening.

"CRAP!" Rikuo seemed to panic instantly and Ryuuji remembered that Rikuo hid his identity as a quarter youkai and hid the fact that his family was youkai family from his human friends.

"Whoa… _crap_, indeed…" Ryuuji commented disinterestedly.

_What are you going to do now… Nura Rikuo?_

**End of Chapter 2**

**Tbc…**

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><p><strong>Additional Notes:<strong>

*****Taken from the English translation of Japanese song 'Shiawase ne Narou' by Utada Hikaru.

**1)Jiichan:** grandpa

**2)Oniichan:** big brother

**A/N: **Ah… this chapter turns to be a little too hilarious for me; especially Yoru and Rikuo's conversation after Yoru woke up. Oh god… I hope Yoru isn't too oOC! XD *lol* Anyway, what do you think? I want to add the humor (because it is a humor), but Rikuo has had enough predicament at this point *lol* Do you find his trouble amusing enough? I hope so, because I did find it very funny to trouble our cute Rikuo-kun *rotfl*. Okay, I'm waiting for your comment now! XDDD


	3. Connection

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi Hiroshi-sensei.**

**Warning: **_hints of shounen ai, foul language, etc_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ)** or **pika318 (ff net)**, as always, THANK YOU for beta-ing this! XD

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait. Things have been very hectic recently with the wedding coming and all. Have to set my priority, heheh. Now, don't mind that. Thank you very much for your supportive and kind review in the previous chapters. So, here's a new chapter just for you! ENJOY!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: <strong>_**Connection**_

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><p><em>No matter what the time <em>

_We'll always be together*_

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><p><strong>~Yorux Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>"Shit…! Everyone is—!" Rikuo widened his eyes in horror as he saw Kana, Kiyotsugu, Shima, Maki and Natsumi coming out to the yard, and they widened their eyes as well as they saw him.<p>

"_Dancing flower bed…"_

Suddenly a gust of wind blew around the people in the yard of Keikain Mansion, and everyone yelped in surprise at that. Some closed their eyes and covered their face from the wind until it dissipated. Then after the wind blew past, one by one, the humans started to collapse on the ground.

"What?" Ryuuji wobbled slightly and almost collapsed as well, but he managed to regain his balance.

This also happened to Yura and the other Onmyoujis who had gathered in the yard. However, Rikuo's human friends weren't so lucky.

They collapsed, unconscious.

"W-what is this…?" Yura immediately covered her nose and mouth with a trembling hand. Her strength had suddenly left her and she had to kneel on the ground since her legs couldn't support her weight anymore.

Luckily, it didn't happen to Rikuo because Yoru reacted very quickly by covering his mouth and nose the moment that gust of wind blew towards them. Yoru also seemed to be okay, standing leisurely behind Rikuo with an unreadable expression.

Kappa seemed to be confused as he looked around, probably wondering why the humans started to fall one by one like flies.

"Hmn! Hmph?" Rikuo wanted to ask what happened because he was surprised and puzzled too seeing all of that.

"It's Zen," Yoru seemed to be able to read Rikuo's mind, or he just simply understood how Rikuo's mind works.

"Znn-kn?" Rikuo looked upward at Yoru who nodded and looked at him back calmly with his crimson eyes.

"Rikuo!"

Rikuo heard Zen's voice coming from behind and he turned to the poisonous bird youkai that was running towards him from one of the cottages.

"Zen," Yoru greeted the reddish-amber eyed youkai who looked at him and Rikuo with widened eyes.

"There are two Rikuos?" Zen stopped three feet away from Rikuo and Yoru and stared at them with a disbelieving expression on his face. "What's going on here?" he demanded an explanation, apparently, but Rikuo wasn't sure to whom.

"We believe that one of them is an impostor," Ryuuji said seriously, catching Zen, Rikuo and Yoru's attention. He was still standing with his water based Shikigami swirling around him, as if it were cleaning the air.

"Impostor?" Zen narrowed his eyes at Rikuo and Yoru now, trying to analyze which one of them was the real one.

Rikuo grabbed Yoru's hand to uncover his mouth so he could speak. "That's not true! None of us are fake, and damn it, Zen-kun! What did you do to my friends and the others?" The chocolate haired boy shouted at the greenish-silver haired youkai in front of him.

"Ah, Rikuo, if you don't cover your nose and mouth you will—!" Yoru reminded, but before he finished his words, Rikuo was already feeling the effects.

Rikuo hurriedly covered his mouth and nose as well as he smelt some kind of scent that attacked his olfactory nervous system which almost made him pass out. "What is this?" he was very surprised.

"It's a potion," Zen said, looking at Rikuo with scrutinizing eyes. "I made a sleeping potion from some plants back home. It works to put humans to sleep…. Anyway, are you the real Rikuo?" he asked then, looking completely curious and suspicious.

"We're both real," Rikuo corrected, more calmly now after getting a vibe that he could talk without being attacked, of course while still covering his nose not to inhale the sleeping potion mixed in the air. "Yoru and I… we don't know what happened, but we were separated when we woke up this morning," he explained short time later.

"What?" Yura had heard what Rikuo had said. She stood up after her fish Shikigami cleaned the air around her as well. She approached Rikuo cautiously, not letting her eyes stray too far away from both Rikuo and Yoru.

"It's true. This Yoru… I meant Youkai Rikuo is also me," Rikuo explained further. "We're no longer in the same body, that's all," he then held Yoru's hand using the hand which wasn't covering his face.

Yoru looked at Rikuo and his joined hands before he smiled slightly. Rikuo noticed his expression and averted his gaze so as not to think oddly or worse, blush.

"Rikuo is telling the truth," Yoru also spoke, but it was quieter. It seemed his voice was still too hoarse to use loudly. "I… we have no idea what happened. But it seemed that something happened when we were asleep and now we're like this," he pointed at himself and then Rikuo with his forefinger.

"Are you sure?" Yura asked then, narrowing her eyes even more. Ryuuji was silent as he studied Rikuo and Yoru's behavior.

"I'm sure," Rikuo looked at Yoru once again and nodded surely. "Yoru is real. I can feel it. Also, I can't contact the Yoru inside of me, so this must be Yoru," he then turned to face Yura, looking at her eyes convincingly.

"There's no doubt whatsoever?" Ryuuji asked as well, as if the dark haired boy just wanted to make sure.

Both Rikuo and Yoru turned to his direction and nodded before they turned to Zen as well. "Zen, you can confirm that it's true. Use your sense to feel our youki," Yoru spoke to the poisonous bird youkai.

Zen seemed to approve the method because no one could fake their own youki. It seemed it was proven true when Zen opened his eyes in surprise. "You're right…. Both of you possess Rikuo's youki," he mumbled in awe.

"How about you, Keikain-san?" Rikuo turned to face Yura and Ryuuji now. "Do you feel our youki too?" he asked.

Yura narrowed her eyes slightly, seeming to try hard to see and feel the youki, but Ryuuji just sighed shortly, undoing his Shikigami. "I know. It's proof enough that you two don't try to tear each other apart," he said, looking at Yoru and then at Rikuo seriously. "So… what did you do to our guys?" he tuned to Zen now.

"Wait a second, Onmyouji. I have to ask the same thing first. You almost attacked our Sandaime," Kappa who had been silent and watched on the sidelines, asked for an explanation as well.

"It's a precaution. We thought your Sandaime here," Ryuuji grabbed Rikuo's shoulder and yanked him to his side, rather away from Yoru who jerked in surprise as his and Rikuo's hands were separated, "-almost got eaten by the youkai there." Then he pointed at Yoru.

"How rude," Yoru huffed, but he didn't seem to be in distress despite the distance.

Rikuo blinked at that. They were probably around two feet away now, and Yoru was still breathing normally.

"You're okay, right, Nura-kun?" Yura then moved closer to Rikuo, appearing to want to check on his condition.

"Yeah," Rikuo nodded, giving a lasting glance at Yoru before he faced Yura fully. "I'm more worried about Yoru. He doesn't seem fine," he confessed.

"We should probably move from here," Ryuuji suddenly said, earning everyone's attention. "We're attracting too much attention from everyone. It's troublesome enough that we have the youkai in one of our cottages, it will be even more bothersome if the elders and the radical ones see all of us getting very friendly here," he continued.

"Agreed." Out of everyone else, Rikuo didn't expect that Yoru would be the first one to support Ryuuji's suggestion.

Though, what Ryuuji said made perfect sense. They were inside the territory of the Onmyoujis after all. "Do you have any room private enough to talk? Also, I'd like to call my grandfather. Who knows, maybe he knows something about this…" Rikuo said rather concernedly.

"Of course we do," Yura said.

"Ah, and maybe we should bring the unconscious ones inside as well," Rikuo then noticed the unconscious bodies lying around them, consisting of his human friends and some of the Onmyoujis, while sweating nervously as well.

Everyone nodded in agreement at that.

Then Rikuo turned to Zen as they walked to help them. "Zen-kun… thanks for the thoughtful act," he said as Zen helped lift two boys onto each of his shoulders. "You put my friends to sleep so they won't see me and Yoru…" he continued, smiling slightly.

"I didn't actually mean it to be that way. Personally, I want them to know that you've worked hard to protect them," Zen said with even expression. "I just wanted to put the Onmyouji who almost attacked you to sleep."

Rikuo's sweat dropped hearing that. He also helped a boy around his age to walk while Yoru was walking closely behind him with two grownups leaning on him. The smaller boy glanced at his other half carefully. Yoru was strong enough to lift two people now despite his earlier problems.

_Two feet away is still okay for Yoru. What about three feet?_—Rikuo wanted to test that theory, but he waited until they all entered a room where they could lay the unconscious ones down before they helped the rest and put his friends back to their room to create an impression that they never left their rooms in the first place.

"What about the destroyed wall?" Rikuo asked Ryuuji then while Yura seemed to wince at that. He turned to Yura and saw her sweating profoundly.

"Leave that. It's because someone _didn't use her head_ before launching an attack, so it's her responsibility to fix it," Ryuuji said, giving Yura an evil glare that the dark haired girl looked slightly depressed.

Rikuo laughed sheepishly at that. "Don't worry, Keikain-san. I'll help you later," he patted Yura's back lightly and the girl turned to him with teary eyes.

"Nura-kun… you're so nice," she said, holding Rikuo's hand and looking at him gratefully.

"And she's incompetent enough to do it by herself," Ryuuji continued.

"Shut up! I so can fix that myself!" Yura then shouted at Ryuuji heatedly, flushing in annoyance or probably in embarrassment.

At that moment, Rikuo thought the brother and sister were really close despite their constant arguments.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yorux Rikuo~<strong>

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><p><em>The light known as "you" finds me, <em>

_In the middle of the night*_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yorux Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>After being certain that everyone was fine (Zen did check them again just to make sure), Ryuuji led Rikuo, Yoru, Zen and Kappa to a wide room while Yura departed to call some other Keikain family members and Nurarihyon.<p>

Yoru was silent in the room, sitting closely beside Rikuo. Zen and Kappa were in front of them while Ryuuji was looking at them from their side.

"Kappa, I was surprised when you suddenly appeared earlier. Thanks for helping," Rikuo said to the boy in front of him.

"It's nothing, Sandaime. I was just in the pond at the yard to prevent dehydration because it's summer, and I saw the explosion, so…" Kappa explained.

"But… this is very weird," Zen commented suddenly, looking at Rikuo and then at Yoru one after the other. "Looking at two Rikuos at the same time…"

"Imagine how I feel," Rikuo replied, beads of sweat rolling down his cheek. He glanced at Yoru who opted to stay silent, his eyes closed and he looked very calm. Rikuo turned to Zen and Kappa again. "I have no idea how this happened. I went to sleep just like usual last night and we met in our inner world like usual too, but then this morning, I woke up and Yoru was beside me," he explained.

"Huh? Wait, wait. Turn back a second." Zen blinked. "You meant… there are two of you this whole time?" he asked in surprise.

"Eh… yes, didn't I ever mention that?" Rikuo asked back, confused as to why Zen was so surprised.

"Excuse me, when had you ever told me something like that?" Zen protested, looking rather indignant. "Whenever you changed into the Night Form, I just assumed it was still you in different clothes. You never mentioned that there was another soul occupying your body," he explained.

"Ah… that might be true…" Rikuo had just realized. He or Yoru indeed never told anyone about their arrangement. He glanced at Yoru again, "Yoru… you never told Zen-kun that we are different entities," trying to initiate a conversation with his night self.

"I didn't think it was necessary," Yoru said while opening one of his ruby colored eyes, glancing back to Rikuo. "I never thought that we would separate like this after all," he continued slowly.

"Yoru?" Kappa tilted his head aside, looking confused.

"Ah, that's how I call him, usually," Rikuo answered the water demon while smiling sheepishly. "Calling him 'my night self' all the time is awkward and tiring, so I just call him Yoru since he only comes out at night."

"I see…" Ryuuji suddenly spoke, earning the attention from the others in the room. "So… it's almost like you," he pointed at Yoru, "-possess him," and then moved to Rikuo, "-every night." He nodded. "The only difference is that you stay inside this kid's body even after you're done possessing him."

"That's not it," Rikuo said, denying it. "Yoru didn't possess me. He's my other personality," he insisted. "He's still me, but in a different soul. You know, like twins," now he found the closest term to explain their existence.

"It's still quite confusing," Zen sighed deeply.

"Well, Sandaime is… are unique beings, so it's hard to explain their existence," Kappa said slowly.

"Let's just wait for grandpa and the others to talk about this." Rikuo felt weary already. "I don't feel like repeating what I told you guys later…."

Everyone seemed to agree to that.

A short time later, Yura came back with the elders of the Keikain family, together with Keikain Akifusa, Masatsugu, a tall boy with rather spiky dark hair wearing glasses, Pato, a child-like boy with shoulder length straight dark hair under red hoodie, and Mamiru, the expressionless boy with wavy light brown hair and amber eyes.

Nurarihyon followed behind them with curious look as to why he was called as well. Upon seeing Rikuo and Yoru in the room, he widened his eyes in surprise. "What the—?"

"_Jiichan (1)_!" Rikuo was about to stand and run to him, but Yoru grabbed the hem of his yukata such that he almost fell down. Moreover, the force of the pull accidentally undid the upper part of his yukata that his chest and shoulders were exposed.

"Gyaaah!" Rikuo yelped in shock and hurriedly covered his body and turned around to yell at Yoru. "What the hell are you doing?" His face flushed in a deep crimson color, totally embarrassed and annoyed at Yoru's unexpected act.

"It's an accident," Yoru said slowly, looking rather sheepish with a bead of sweat prickling out his face, but not sorry enough to apologize. "Don't suddenly run away like that. You know how it will affect me," he continued.

"Ah…" Rikuo just realized that and some of the Keikain, especially Pato, snickered at him.

Rikuo blushed even harder after he realized that he had made a fool of himself in front of the crowd who looked rather embarrassed and awkward as well. He then sat back down, fixing his yukata in a hurry to save his face.

Nurarihyon though, seemed to not care about that as he jumped in front of his grandson… or Grandsons. "What's the meaning of this?" he asked Rikuo while looking at him and Yoru curiously.

"As you can see, Jiji, we're separated," Yoru answered composedly.

"How can this happen?" Nurarihyon asked, more concerned and curious now.

"We don't know. It just happened," Rikuo said, still flushing slightly, but his yukata was appropriate now.

"Hmm… this must be… a curse?"

Everyone, including Rikuo and Yoru (except Nurarihyon, surprisingly), gasped in surprise at the sudden appearance of Hidemoto 13th in the middle of the room.

"Aaah! Hidemoto! You're just a Shikigami now! Don't just appear as you please without being called!" Yura, Hidemoto 13th's current master, pointed at him and complained in total annoyance.

"Isn't it okay? It's not like you're tired or anything," Hidemoto smiled sweetly at her and Yura could only grumble in a pout while Akifusa patted her head comfortingly.

"Hidemoto 13th, what do you mean by it being a curse?" Ryuuji asked then, seeming to voice everyone's question and curiosity

"Just like what it says. It's probably another curse from Hagoromo Gitsune… or Nue," Hidemoto said, looking at everyone in the room with a leisure smile.

"And you're smiling because?" Nurarihyon asked, looking rather annoyed at his old pal while Rikuo could only gape at what Hidemoto had said and Yoru widened his eyes in disbelief.

"It's a failed one," Hidemoto chirped. "Maybe the curse was supposed to destroy Rikuo-chan's youkai side completely, but for some reasons, it only separated the youkai from Rikuo-chan's body," Hidemoto explained.

Rikuo and Yoru looked at each other in concern now.

"How do you feel, Rikuo-chan, youkai Rikuo-chan?" Hidemoto then turned his attention to both Rikuo and Yoru.

"I'm fine, but Yoru…" Rikuo glanced at Yoru more worriedly.

"I can't 'survive' in this human realm without Rikuo's support," Yoru answered evenly, but a bead of sweat on his cheek showed his anxiousness, somehow.

Everyone gasped again and started to murmur with apprehensive looks on their face.

"I expected that much," Hidemoto nodded. "What do you think, Nura-chan?" he then turned to Nurarihyon.

"Hmm… this is the first time I've seen something like this," Nurarihyon admitted, putting his hand on his chin while looking closely at Yoru and Rikuo. He patted Yoru's shoulder and then Rikuo's. "You're very solid, it's as if you have your own body," he said to Yoru.

"He materialized outside my body, Jiichan. Of course he has his own body," Rikuo said, looking at his grandpa in confusion because he stated the obvious.

"No, I meant… this youkai is supposed to be a part of you, a quarter of your blood, a form of your power, he's just 'a soul', a personality without a real body," Nurarihyon said, pointing at Yoru while explaining to Rikuo.

"Wait a—! Ojiichan! He's your grandson too! You can't say he's just a part of me!" Rikuo protested hard at that.

"I didn't say that he's not my grandson," Nurarihyon said, a bead of sweat dropping behind his head. It seemed he didn't expect that Rikuo would react that strongly.

"But the way you speak is as if he was insignificant!" Rikuo was still protesting.

"Rikuo," Yoru patted Rikuo's shoulder lightly, earning Rikuo's attention. "It's true. I'm just a quarter part of you," he said.

"But Yoru…! You're always there with me even when I didn't know you were there! You're like a brother to me!" Rikuo insisted. "You're always real for me. Yoru is Yoru!" he continued, holding Yoru's hand on his shoulder tightly.

Yoru seemed to be surprised at that. He widened his eyes for a moment before softening his gaze at Rikuo. "Of course…," he smiled tenderly at the chocolate haired boy and Rikuo's heart skipped a beat seeing Yoru's expression. Heat started to rise on Rikuo's face as well and he couldn't help averting his eyes, blushing slightly.

Nurarihyon's thin eyebrows twitched slightly seeing that and Hidemoto covered his mouth with a very amused look. Everyone who saw the exchange were sweating profoundly, looking very-very awkward.

"W-what was that… just now?" Masatsugu asked slowly, rather nervous apparently, because he tried to fix the position of his glasses on the bridge of his nose even though there was nothing to fix. Moreover, he asked himself rather than anyone in particular.

However, it seemed Pato felt the need to reply. "I don't know, but… aren't they embarrassed?" the smaller boy stared at Rikuo and Yoru with a weird look on his face.

"My…," Akifusa seemed to notice something because his cheeks were rather pink in color, while Yura seemed to be confused being the clueless girl she was.

"What?" she asked looking right and left with a questioning face.

Ryuuji was slightly pale seeing Rikuo and Yoru's interaction as well. "That's just… weird…" he commented dryly while Mamiru kept his cool, expressionless face, not saying anything.

Zen and Kappa were looking at each other, seeming to not know how to react to everything that happened in front of them.

"Okay… let's get back to the problem," Nurarihyon sighed, apparently, having had enough of it.

"Aww, but they're cute like that," Hidemoto commented, making Rikuo's face redden even more.

"Come on. We need to figure out what happened to my grandsons and how to deal with it if it's indeed a curse," Nurarihyon said, rather in exasperation at his old friend's obvious amusement.

Hidemoto chuckled slightly at that. "Fine~," he almost sang happily for reasons no one could understand, but his personality was indeed unique anyway. Everyone thought that it was normal for him to act like that.

"So… let's try to handle the most urgent situation first before figuring out what to do next. In what way do you need Rikuo-chan's support to survive in human realm, youkai-Rikuo-chan?" Hidemoto 13th then asked Yoru again.

The others wisely kept their comments or opinions to themselves until they could figure out what was going on, including Zen and Kappa. They seemed to trust Hidemoto and Nurarihyon enough to conduct the interrogation.

Yoru seemed to be irked at being called youkai Rikuo all the time, so he just sighed and responded with "Will you just call me Yoru? Youkai Rikuo sounds weird."

Hidemoto blinked at that. "Okay," he said agreeing instantly.

"Good. Let see… I can't breathe normally in this realm," Yoru said slowly while thinking.

Rikuo nodded at that. "Yoru seems to be unable to breathe without me being nearby. He will lose his strength as well and will pass out if I'm too far away from him," he explained further.

"Hmm… what do you think is the cause of that?" Nurarihyon asked seriously again.

"My theory is that it might be the same case as Nue who can't be in human realm because he isn't ready yet, his body, I meant," Rikuo answered.

"Then Yoru-chan just has to get used to staying in human realm right?" Hidemoto suggested.

"But if he has to be together with Rikuo all the time, it will be very inconvenient for both of them," Nurarihyon pointed.

"I'm fine like this," Yoru said, earning everyone's surprised attention.

"What? I'm NOT!" Rikuo immediately said otherwise to everyone before he turned to face Yoru disbelievingly. "It's very inconvenient, Yoru! I have school! I have my human life to attend to! You can't be with me all the time like this! My friends will ask who you are, and what am I supposed to tell them then?"

Yoru was silent at that, probably trying to measure the pros and cons. "Well, there's always the choice of telling the truth," he said.

"No way! That's out of the question and you know why!" Rikuo protested hard, suddenly feeling cornered.

What was happening there? Rikuo thought Yoru understood his feelings best. Telling his friends who Rikuo was? How would they react if they knew about Rikuo's origin?

"I'm more mystified by your reluctance to do so. If they are your precious friends, shouldn't you want to tell them the truth and want them to accept you as the way you are?" Yoru asked in a huff and Rikuo snapped in retaliation.

"That's just a selfish wish! People aren't that simple…! It's not that easy…!" Rikuo gritted his teeth in frustration then, clenching his fist on his knees.

Yoru sighed deeply. "Fine, I'll try to survive without you around then," he decided. "I just need to adjust to this environment. With a little bit of training, I will be able to do that," he continued, closing his eyes, looking rather disappointed.

"Okay… so we'll begin by training Yoru-chan to live separately from Rikuo-chan," Hidemoto 13th said, still in a smile despite the sudden turn of events just then. After all, they saw how Rikuo was arguing with himself, technically.

"Hmm… how are we going to train the youkai to live separately from its host then?" Pato suddenly asked as everyone began to stand and move away to make some more room for Rikuo and Yoru to start the training.

"What do you mean?" Masatsugu asked the boy, looking at him, wondering.

"Well… that youkai is like a 'parasite' right? He can't live without his host," Pato concluded.

Yoru seemed to hear that because he jerked and turned his widened rubies to Pato's direction with a shocked expression.

"Hey!" Rikuo shouted at Pato because he also heard that comment. "Don't call Yoru a parasite because he's not!" he huffed in annoyance.

"Eeh, but all this time, that youkai is borrowing your life energy by staying inside you, right? And time to time, he takes over your freedom of moving because he needs your body to do some other things as well. That's the same as possession, you know," the red hooded boy said, resting his chin on his palm as he sat again near the wooden wall.

"Eh? Is that so?" Rikuo blinked, looking at Ryuuji, Yura and Akifusa who nodded at that, supporting Pato's theory before sitting near the boy.

Yoru was suspiciously silent and just clenched his fist rather hard.

"But… Yoru was born inside me, so it's normal for him to stay there. And I willingly hand over my freedom of moving so long as we're getting stronger to protect our family," Rikuo argued again, still not accepting that Yoru was a parasite for his body.

"Doesn't mean he doesn't do it; look. Even now, that youkai is doing it," Pato pointed at the space between Rikuo and Yoru. "Don't you guys see it too? That youkai is draining Rikuo's life energy from where he's standing," he said and Yoru immediately stepped back, rather far away from Rikuo.

"Eh?" Rikuo was surprised and everyone seemed to be too.

However, Yoru couldn't stay away for too long as he dropped to one of his knees once again, as he reached about six feet away from Rikuo.

"Yoru!" Rikuo was about to follow the silver-black haired youkai out of worry, but—

"Don't come here!" Yoru shouted, surprising Rikuo that he stopped. Yoru's breath was starting to get labored and heavy and he coughed several times too, one of his hands on his upper chest, clenching his dark blue yukata. "I'm... fine. Just… don't come near me…. I've enough… taking your life energy," he said slowly, looking upward to Rikuo with pained look.

"Ah…!" Rikuo felt the sharp pain in his heart as he heard that and he immediately turned to glare at Pato for saying unnecessary things. The boy yelped slightly at receiving such a dagger glare from Rikuo.

Done glaring heatedly at Pato, Rikuo turned back to look at Yoru again worriedly. The youkai's eyes were closed. He looked weary and sick, seeming to try hard to get used to that distance between them.

Rikuo then turned to Zen. "Zen-kun, would you please check him?" he pleaded at the poisonous bird youkai and Zen nodded readily.

"Rikuo," Zen approached the youkai and knelt beside him, trying to check on his body.

"It's Yoru," Yoru corrected. "I allowed you to call me Rikuo before we're separated, but now… I'm Yoru. Call me that so it won't be too confusing," he added.

Zen sighed deeply. "Okay, whatever you say, Sandaime," he then smiled slightly at Yoru and Yoru returned it with a small smile as well.

Rikuo was standing on his spot, not daring enough to move back or forward. He wanted to be at Yoru's side immediately to ease his pain, but Yoru seemed to be so… adamant about this. Honestly, Rikuo didn't care if Yoru drained his life energy away. It happened all this time and Rikuo was okay, right?

However, Rikuo also understood what Yoru felt about this. If Rikuo was in Yoru's shoes, he would want Yoru to stay away too because he didn't want to be a burden to him. He had acted like that the whole time anyway. That's why he was happy when Yoru needed him to perform Matoi. Because then… he could help be a strength for Yoru as well.

Yoru opened his eyes again when he was able to steady his breath. He widened his eyes as he glanced up once more and saw Rikuo's expression.

It seemed, Rikuo had made a very pitiful expression that even Yoru didn't have a heart to let the chocolate-black haired boy stand by himself in the middle of the room like that.

"Rikuo," Yoru called the boy and Rikuo looked at Yoru hopefully. Yoru smiled gently at him while reaching to him.

At that moment, Rikuo knew what to do. He ran to Yoru and then grabbed his hand, connecting them once again. "Sorry… for telling you not to come near me," Yoru said quietly.

"Just… don't tell me to stay away in that kind of manner, ever again," Rikuo looked down at the tatami below them and put Yoru's hand on both of his own.

"Roger that," Yoru closed his eyes again and let out a relieved sigh, feeling the energy filling his body again.

Finally, it seemed Yoru understood that Rikuo didn't mind sharing his life energy with him because they were meant to do that, just like how Yoru didn't mind protecting Rikuo for the rest of his life.

"Aww… really, they are cute like that," Hidemoto said with an amused grin.

"They have been through a lot together… it's not that strange if they need each other," Nurarihyon commented slowly.

"You can say it's the form of their connection, right, Nura-chan?" Hidemoto asked, still smiling happily.

"Well… let's take a look if that's the only form of connection they have…" Nurarihyon mumbled and Hidemoto tilted his head aside, seeming to be rather confused.

"Huh?" Rikuo and Yoru also heard that and turned to their grandfather rather curiously…

**End of Chapter 3**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>Additional Notes: <strong>

*****Taken from the English translation of Japanese song 'Hikari', sung by Utada Hikaru**  
><strong>

**1)**_**Jiichan**_**: **grandpa

**A/N: **So, this is chapter 3. Sorry for the lack of fan-service and humor in this chapter. I want to finish how they figure everything out fast first before moving to how Rikuo's friends will react seeing Yoru there *lol*. Don't worry, fan-service will come along eventually and that will be hilarious too. What do you think of this chapter? I'll be very happy if I hear a lot of things from you guys! XDD


	4. Senses

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei**

**Warning: **_fluff (oh, man… how this month affects me… XD), shounen ai, AU, language, etc…_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) **or** pika318 (ff net)**, thanks for the beta dear~ XD

**A/N: **I'm so very sorry for the slow update. Real life is getting hectic with the approaching of the big day! XDDD. Now, please proceed to ENJOY this chapter! ^_^

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: <strong>_**Senses**_

* * *

><p><em>Oh, oh, it is better not to think <em>

_that one should just allow one's self be accepted anywhere; _

_A sword called 'Individuality' is bequeathed to all*_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>It was a few hours after Rikuo and especially Yoru started to practice their endurance in staying further and further apart from each other without causing Yoru to choke or hyperventilate because he couldn't breathe properly.<p>

Approximately three hours after the first attempt, Yoru was able to remain standing, calm, for almost an hour, 20 feet away from Rikuo.

At their first attempt to further their distance, Yoru collapsed, almost passing out from the lack of energy and oxygen.

"Yoru!" Rikuo hurried to his side. He grabbed Yoru's shoulder and helped the youkai sit up while Yoru was trying to regain his breath. He was kind of dizzy right then.

"Easy… we don't have to rush this," Rikuo rubbed Yoru's back while the silver-black haired youkai absorbed some life energy from Rikuo to strengthen his own again.

Yoru sighed deeply while looking around them. The Onmyoujis were staring openly at him and Rikuo. Did they expect something major to happen or what?

Nurarihyon and Hidemoto 13th also observed the two with searching eyes. It seemed they had something on their minds.

"Rikuo," Nurarihyon suddenly called his grandson. The chocolate haired boy looked upward to him. "Can you come here for a second?" he asked.

"Okay," Rikuo replied. He didn't seem to feel uncomfortable with all the eyes that were watching him and Yoru as if they were a spectacle. "Yoru, can you stand? Let's go to where Grandpa is," he said while tugging at Yoru's sleeve after standing up.

"Yeah, just a bit," Yoru took a deep breath before he stood up as well, already gaining most of his strength back after the short rest.

They walked towards Nurarihyon and Hidemoto before sitting in front of the old youkai and the shikigami. "What is it, Grandpa?" Rikuo asked.

"Ah, can you two sit a little bit further apart from each other?" Nurarihyon instructed his grandsons, not answering the question.

Rikuo blinked in confusion and Yoru narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion. What was their grandfather up to?

"Like this?" Rikuo then moved away slightly.

"Right," Nurarihyon nodded before he stood up and walked towards Yoru.

Yoru didn't expect that. "What?" he asked the old man while raising his eyebrows.

"It's okay. I just want to test something," Nurarihyon said reassuringly. Then he reached to tap Yoru's back once.

Yoru blinked at that, wondering. He turned to look at his grandfather who continued tapping his back, with each tap getting harder. "What are you doing?" he asked then, failing to understand Nurarihyon's act.

"Look ahead," Nurarihyon's instructed before he reached a sensitive part of his back and poked him there.

"Uh!" Yoru jerked upward.

"Ah!" Rikuo yelped before he slapped his mouth shut in surprise.

Everyone widened their eyes and went gravely silent at that. "What just…happened?" Ryuuji asked, looking baffled.

Yoru also looked at Rikuo in astonishment. Did his other half just… moan?

Nurarihyon, seeming still to be unsatisfied with it, repeated his maneuver.

"Ugh!" Yoru jerked upward once again as he felt the sensitive spot on his spine getting poked.

"Yah!" and something similar seemed to happen to Rikuo because he reacted strangely again.

"Jiji! What the hell!" Yoru shouted at his grandpa, rather blushing, slightly perplexed because he didn't understand what Nurarihyon did that for.

"As I thought," Nurarihyon said, a bead of sweat prickling out his cheek.

"W-w-what…?" Rikuo looked at Nurarihyon and Yoru, still in total mystification of what had just happened to him.

"Ooh! It really works like that!" Hidemoto the 13th said with an amused smile on his face.

"What's going on?" Yura asked, looking as confused as Rikuo.

"It's their senses," Nurarihyon said.

"Their senses are connected to each other," Hidemoto continued.

"Their senses?" the others asked in unison, looking very curious.

"Yup, so if I do this," Nurarihyon pinched Yoru's cheek.

"Ow!"

"Ouch!"

Both Yoru and Rikuo reacted to the pain and hurriedly rubbed their cheeks.

"See?" Nurarihyon crossed his arms in front of his chest, sighing.

"Whoa… that's kind of…" Zen sweated a little bit.

"So Nura-kun can feel what his youkai feels as well?" Yura asked again, totally baffled.

"It works both ways," Nurarihyon said before he moved to Rikuo and started to tickle him.

Rikuo laughed at that. "Ahahahaha! Stop! Jiichan, it tickles!" and he continued laughing hard while struggling to free himself from Nurarihyon's clutch.

A few feet away from Rikuo, Yoru was fidgeting with his body trembling, his face slightly flushed and no one seemed to be able to figure out how the youkai managed to hold down his laughter because honestly, he was tickled like hell as well. He held down his reaction pretty well by hugging his own body though, unlike Rikuo who was laughing like a mad boy right then.

"S-stop it, Jiji!" but even Yoru couldn't hold it down for that long as he snorted a laugh while trying to yell at his grandfather to stop his ministration to Rikuo's body which affected him as well.

When Nurarihyon was done, Rikuo almost died for laughing too much. He was slumped on the _tatami_, shivering and panting, still slightly laughing. Yoru was no better because he felt weak as well. He had no idea that he was that ticklish.

Everyone who saw the two like that couldn't help snickering, especially Pato who almost doubled over seeing that very funny scene. Akifusa scolded him for being so rude while Ryuuji's sweat dropped visibly and Masatsugu had to fix his glasses position again, looking almost laughing as well. Yura huffed out a laugh, although it took her best effort not to laugh aloud.

"Well, it's just the sense of touch, and only in extreme situations. I don't know what kind of other senses you are sharing," Nurarihyon said with deadpanned look, not seeming too affected by the humor and laughter in what he had done to his own grandchild.

"You are a demon…!" Yoru muttered while glaring heatedly at his grandfather for embarrassing him (and Rikuo) in front of everyone like that.

"Ji… Jiichan, so you said that we share our sense of touch for the extreme and intense stimulants… Does it mean; if I start to feel very depressed, Yoru will feel depressed as well?" Rikuo, after being able to control his body again, asked, looking rather worried now even though he was still blushing slightly.

"That's a probability," Nurarihyon answered, scratching his chin with his pointer finger.

"Oh…" Rikuo looked down, biting his lower lip slightly.

That was new for Yoru. What was Rikuo worried about anyway? It wasn't like they never shared intense feelings together. Just like at that time when their father was murdered or when they knew the truth about Yamabuki and what happened to her, they did share those feelings.

Yoru actually didn't want Rikuo to see and feel the horror. But since they fought together at that time, he couldn't do anything to cover Rikuo's senses….

"Huh?" Yoru found it strange then. Despite Yoru's ability to feel Rikuo's feelings all the time, at this moment, he barely felt anything from Rikuo's awareness.

This separation… was it severing Yoru and Rikuo's feelings from each other as well? Did that mean Yoru would stand as separated individual from Rikuo from now on?

"This will get very troublesome."

Nurarihyon's sudden comment brought Yoru out of his train of thought. He snapped out of it and looked at his grandfather curiously.

"What do you mean?" Rikuo asked again, looking paler and afraid for some reasons.

"The intense feelings you share through your senses," Nurarihyon looked at his grandson other half meaningfully and Yoru looked back at him and Rikuo who also stared at Yoru carefully, with wonder.

"Ah," Pato suddenly punched his palm, seeming to understand something.

"What?" Yoru turned to gaze the red-hooded boy indignantly, feeling like he was missing something in his grandfather and Rikuo's exchange. Moreover, how come that brat could guess and understand something just by hearing their cryptic conversation?

"Basically, any intense feeling they share covers pain and the other extreme feelings, right? So, if either of them gets hurt, the other will get hurt too, in other words, if one of them gets killed, the other will die as well, right?" Pato explained and clarified, earning everyone else's surprised gasps.

"Smart boy," Nurarihyon commented dryly.

"Hey, hey, seriously?" Zen widened his eyes, looking shocked.

"If one of the Sandaimes dies… the other will too?" Kappa almost hung his jaw in open mouth at that, looking mortified.

"Well… that is a problem, indeed," Ryuuji also commented, though calmer than the others. Akifusa looked at Yoru and Rikuo with a worried expression and Masatsugu could only sigh in sympathy. Mamiru kept his expression neutral as if he didn't feel a damn thing.

Rikuo frowned deeply, looking at his lap while Yoru was slightly confused of why it became such a huge deal for everyone. He meant, wasn't that normal? They were originally the same person. If one of them disappeared, the other would as well, right?

"I don't see why this becomes a problem," Yoru voiced his thought and Rikuo looked up, turning to face him so fast he thought the boy would snap his head off his neck.

"Yoru… don't you get it? This way, the enemy can get you by attacking me," Rikuo said, staring at Yoru ridiculously.

"So?" Yoru didn't see the downside of that.

"Ah… I can't believe this," Yura muttered in annoyance. "That means, dear youkai, that if Rikuo gets attacked and killed, even though you aren't the one being attacked, you'll still die as well," she explained, stressing word by word in the process as if she wanted Yoru to catch all of it without fail.

"I know that, but that can be solved as long as I'm always together with him and protect him, right?" Yoru huffed because he could guess that the girl regarded him as an idiot. "I don't plan on leaving RIkuo's side, ever. I'll always stay together with him," he continued somberly and for some reasons, everyone stared at him as if he was an alien from Mars.

Nurarihyon twitched at seeing Yoru's expression and hearing his words. Rikuo blushed and Hidemoto chuckled, looking very-very amused now.

"He sounded like a possessive lover," Ryuuji commented and Pato tried very hard not to laugh, lest he would get scolded again by the blushing Akifusa now, who seemed to agree with what Ryuuji said.

"What?" Yura looked confused again because she was such an innocent little girl. Mamiru didn't say anything, but he kept his eyes trained on Rikuo and Yoru it started to look creepy.

"Even if you insist on staying beside Rikuo all the time, how will it work?" Nurarihyon asked, raising one of his thin eyebrows at his youkai grandson.

"What do you mean?" Yoru asked back, unable to catch what his grandfather was implying.

"Yoru… you can't stay beside me all the time. There's my school and my human friends… how can I explain your existence to them?" Rikuo repeated his question some hours ago about that particular thing.

Yoru just remembered about that. Of course, that was the sole reason why he practiced to stay away from Rikuo in the first place. "Crap," and now he realized the logic of why this became a very big problem.

"See… you can't protect me all the time. And when you aren't there…"

"You're vulnerable to attack…" Yoru continued his other half's words, sighing deeply in understanding now.

"We can always provide extra guards for Rikuo when he's at school of when he's away from home, of course… from some distance," Zen suggested helpfully.

"That's probably a very good idea," Hidemoto supported in a cheery tone.

"Still, if I can't even defend myself… I don't want to be a burden, at least…" Rikuo bit his thumb nail nervously, looking distressed.

"Rikuo, you will never be a burden," Yoru gazed at Rikuo with his gentle crimson eyes, assuring his other half that he was far from weak and useless. "You are strong… Remember how you helped me master Matoi."

"Yoru…" Rikuo looked slightly touched at that.

"That's it!" Zen suddenly shouted, surprising the others.

"What's wrong, Zen?" Nurarihyon asked. Yoru and Rikuo also looked at the silver haired poisonous bird youkai curiously.

"Matoi… it's a possession technique where the human part is being possessed, right?" Zen asked, seeming to elucidate it. Yoru and Rikuo nodded. "Then it's good as long as Rikuo is being possessed by other youkai to activate this technique. He can protect himself using another youkai's fear," he explained.

"Wait a sec, right now, Rikuo is 100 percent human, Zen. His body won't stand the fear if I'm not there to channel it out," Yoru said.

"Ah, but there's where you are wrong," Zen argued immediately. "I also didn't notice this before the training Rikuo had undergone with Gyuuki, but Rikuo's human body is very strong. He was beaten up and down by Gyuuki and he had to face Gyuuki's fear directly with his human body during the training, and yet he was okay. No human could handle that kind of torture continuously, and yet somehow, Rikuo survived it with minimal wounds. I was very impressed when I treated his wounds back then. Rikuo is indeed strong, probably… stronger than Yoru right now, judging from the current situation," he explained again and everyone seemed to think about that thoughtfully.

"Does that mean… Rikuo-sama can fight with his human body?" Kappa asked.

"He sure can. As long as he holds something that can kill youkai, he's as good as the other youkai in Nura Gumi," Zen smiled confidently at that.

"That… actually makes sense," Yoru put his hand on his finger, considering that possibility seriously and carefully as well.

"Then, I can perform Matoi with the other youkai?" Rikuo asked.

"Do you want to try it?" Zen asked back.

"I do," Rikuo said surely.

"Wait, what if there are requirements or restrictions to perform Matoi? I meant… I myself don't really understand the technique fully. It can be unstable too… I don't want anything happen to Rikuo," Yoru still protested.

"Umm…" Akifusa's voice then interrupted the conversation and everyone then turned to face the amber eyed, platinum blond haired Onmyouji who raised his hand as if he were a student in a classroom.

"Finally you want to contribute something to the forum?" Ryuuji asked, rather teasingly.

Akifusa visibly blushed at that, but he decided to ignore the dark haired teen beside him and spoke "W-well… it has been on my mind since Pato mentioned about the life-energy sharing earlier."

"What about it?" Rikuo asked, looking sharp as if he didn't want him to say unnecessary things again that would cause Yoru to feel bad about it.

"It's nothing bad. I'm just curious. Rikuo-kun… and Yoru-kun have been sharing life energy since birth, right?" Akifusa asked. Yoru and Rikuo nodded. "Then… it's a fact that Rikuo-kun possesses enormous amount of life force if he can share it with a youkai in Nurarihyon's caliber without fainting or feeling weak.

"All of you are also aware that most people with special abilities can use their power because their power is taken from their life force, right? That's why the _Igikimo_ of people with special abilities are coveted by a lot of youkai. It adds their life force and power as well.

"So, I've been thinking… after Rikuo-kun lost his ayakashi side, he was cleansed from any youki, right? With so much life-force left in his body, he can be trained to use it as his weapon to defend himself from any ayakashi or youkai that will try to attack him for his _Igikimo_," Akifusa explained in detail what he thought about the separation of Rikuo and Yoru and what they could do to use it at best.

"In short… you suggest he train as an Onmyouji," Nurarihyon clarified Akifusa's intention and the younger man looked nervous under the old youkai's tense gaze.

"Wow, that's a very good idea. I like it a lot," Ryuuji said with mirth in his eyes at the possibility of increasing the members in the family. Moreover, he was the grandson of Nurarihyon. This would be like a slap to the older youkai's face, but since it was for his grandchild's protection, he would think twice before objecting the idea in the name of his youkai pride.

"I refuse!" Rikuo objected immediately after he heard it, surprising the others.

Even Yoru was surprised hearing it. "Rikuo…?"

"Of course, in one perspective, it's actually a good idea, but I'm a part of a youkai family. Despite our situation right now, I'm a quarter youkai. I can't possibly train to be an Onmyouji. Besides… if my body is purified, Yoru won't be able to come back inside me again after we break the curse. Don't just decide that we'll stay apart like this forever," Rikuo huffed.

"Ah, I'm sorry… I assumed you don't plan on breaking the curse and joining back together…" Akifusa said, rather frantically because he had jumped to conclusions too quickly.

"Eh, we will be joining back together?" Yoru asked Rikuo while frowning in puzzlement.

"Of course we will!" Rikuo looked at Yoru in disbelief. "Or what? You plan on stay outside my body forever?" he asked the youkai then, looking slightly mortified by the idea.

"Err… well…" Yoru looked away, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.

"Yoru?" Rikuo sweated profoundly now, looking extra horrified because Yoru seemed to insinuate the idea. His dark-honey colored eyes looked at Yoru as if they shouted _'You're kidding!'_

Yoru huffed out a long sigh before he looked up and gazed at Rikuo's worried chocolate eyes again, more somberly. "Well… I meant, finally… I can have my own body. I don't have to risk your life by borrowing your body to fight, Rikuo…. I'm just… glad that I can… touch you literally like this…" he reached out his hand to Rikuo and held it gently.

"Eh…?" Rikuo instantly flushed in embarrassment at that and Hidemoto the 13th looked like he was about to squeal so Nurarihyon elbowed his side, hard. Surprisingly it shut the ghost up before he could comment on anything.

Grandpa Nurarihyon then twitched again though, looking at how Yoru interacted with Rikuo. He sighed deeply after that, seeming to understand what happened after the third time he witnessed such an act.

"W-wait, Yoru, w-what are you saying…?" Rikuo stuttered, seeming to be bewildered of what Yoru said, but that was okay with Yoru.

Yoru only wanted to see the boy smile happily and to stay beside the boy, protecting him and his smile, always. He didn't mind holding Rikuo only in his mind or his inner world, but he didn't like having to risk Rikuo's life repeatedly when he was fighting.

That's why, when Yoru realized that he and Rikuo were separated now… he thought he could protect the shorter boy for real now. Of course the connection of their senses didn't change the risk, but Yoru only had to train more and more so he could get stronger and wouldn't get hurt so often to protect Rikuo as well. Of course Rikuo getting vulnerable to attack was also a big problem, but he intended to watch over him 24 hours a day, so Yoru could intervene if Rikuo was suddenly attacked.

And thus, amongst the others who could disturb that sweet moment between Rikuo and Yoru, a growling sound was the thing that did. They heard it in the wide room. Everyone blinked in uncertainty at the sound.

"What was that?" Pato asked, looking around in puzzlement as well.

"It's this girl's stomach," Ryuuji glanced at his little sister who blushed furiously in embarrassment.

"Oniichan!" Yura shouted at Ryuuji loudly, looking very ashamed.

Akifusa chuckled and Masatsugu huffed out a laugh. "Yura-chan gets hungry easily, huh?" the spiky, dark haired, glasses wearing Onmyouji commented and Yura's face turned redder if it was possible.

"Masa-nii too! Don't tease me like that!" Yura complained, still visibly embarrassed.

"Pff—, the moment is instantly broken by a stomach growl?" Ryuuji laughed before he messed up Yura's hair, looking proud for some reasons.

"Hey!" Yura protested again, trying to hit and scratched Ryuuji's face.

"Ah, how adorable of you, lil sis," and Ryuuji continued his laughter. Everyone who saw that felt it was funny as well because they chuckled.

Well, Yoru was grateful that everyone's eyes weren't on them anymore.

"Okay, I think it's the time for us to have a late breakfast, since it's almost…" Akifusa looked at the clock on the wall, "-eleven o'clock. I guess the human guests are up as well, right, Zen-dono?" he then turned to look at Zen.

"Yes, the sleeping powder is only potent for two hours… I think they're up now, and confused because they're back in their room," Zen said.

"Oh… it doesn't erase their memories?" Kappa asked.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't. Let's hope that they think themselves dreaming before waking up the second time," Zen said with a small awkward smile.

"Ah, what should I do…? I can't eat with them if Yoru will be sticking around for awhile…" Rikuo said, looking worried again.

"For the mean time, Rikuo should hide with the other youkai as well. We'll tell your friends something to cover this," Ryuuji said.

"Is that okay?" Rikuo looked up at Ryuuji with hopeful look.

"Of course it's okay, Rikuo-kun," Akifusa smiled at him kindly.

"Thank you!" Rikuo seemed to be very relieved at that.

"Well then… let's get back to the cottage where all the youkai from our family are staying. Zen and Kappa will help explain why there are two Rikuos now," Nurarihyon instructed.

"Yes, Shodaisho," both Zen and Kappa nodded in respect.

"Let's move," Nurarihyon stood and then walked away, followed by Rikuo and Yoru who preferred staying close to the boy, and of course, still holding Rikuo's hand as well.

"See you around again, Nura-chan!" Hidemoto waved at the old youkai and Nurarihyon just waved back without looking at him.

"Hidemoto! Get back to your own realm before being called, damn it!" Yura shouted at the ghost and he just laughed while ruffling the annoyed girl's hair in amusement.

They all withdrew for now and if more problems arose later, they would get back in the room and started to discuss what they would do to solve them together.

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Rikuo was looking at Yoru and then their joined hands with a blush on his face, feeling conflicted and bewildered because of what happened inside the meeting room earlier.<p>

Moreover, Rikuo didn't know how to voice his uncertainty about it.

"Aah, that's such a long discussion. I don't feel like repeating all the explanations to our guys later…" Rikuo said, trying to distract himself from the mixture of feelings inside his chest. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he felt… weird.

There was that flip-flop thing in his stomach which did something odd to his feelings. He also felt rather suffocated for no apparent reason, like drinking too much soda. What was that feeling anyway? Why did it happen whenever he thought about Yoru?

Glancing at their joined hands again, Rikuo noticed how Yoru's complexion looked paler than his, but his hand was bigger and felt stronger, like an adult's hand. Even though he and Rikuo were supposed to be at the same age, why did Yoru appear so mature and… beautiful?

Please… everybody found Yoru gorgeous. It wasn't that strange if Rikuo also thought the same. Well, maybe it was technically narcissistic since Yoru was Rikuo, but he just couldn't help it. Yoru was just too different from him.

"You don't have to say anything. Let Jiichan and the others explain. We'll answer only when they question us directly," Yoru answered slowly, his hand tightening on Rikuo's.

Rikuo widened his eyes for a moment before he looked down again, flushing deeper.

Why did it feel very… enjoyable being hand in hand with Yoru? Why was his heart beating so fast? Was it like an omen of something bad that would happen later? There were so many questions in Rikuo's head that he wanted to ask, but he was hesitant and embarrassed to voice them out.

Nurarihyon turned aside slightly to look at his now two grandsons. He also looked conflicted seeing how possessive the youkai was over Rikuo and how the smaller boy reacted to that.

Zen and Kappa glanced at each other with awkward silence as well seeing how Rikuo and Yoru acted towards each other. It seemed they also had some guesses in their mind.

"Hey, Rikuo," Zen opened a conversation then.

Rikuo looked upward at Zen and raised his eyebrow. "Yes, Zen-kun?"

"I'm just wondering…. How do you exactly live usually with… um…" the spiky short silver haired bird youkai seemed to try to look for words, "-with Yoru inside you?" he asked.

…

…

"…That… didn't come out right, did it?" Zen blushed slightly seemingly to realize he had said something very embarrassing.

Rikuo wasn't exactly sure of what Zen was talking about, but Yoru seemed to catch up pretty quickly with the innuendo and he actually glared at Zen for speaking too much.

"Um… what do you mean by how I usually live? I live just like the rest of you guys," Rikuo answered, trying to lighten the mood.

"No, I meant… you have both personalities and all… Do you often have conversations or such?" Zen cleared his intention.

"Oh… sometimes, when I'm lonely and need someone to talk to… or when Yoru needs to voice his thoughts… usually, we meet in a dream. It's also like that when the first time Yoru told me that he was there. He showed up in my dream and I kept wondering who this guy was until I changed that night, when Yoru saved you from Hebidayu, Zen-kun," Rikuo explained while smiling, remembering the good time.

"Oh… I see…" Zen mumbled slightly with thoughtful look.

"At first, I closed my eyes from his existence by forgetting every time I changed into him, but after the Kyuusho incident, I just couldn't ignore him anymore… because at that time, he told me that I can count on him, that he will protect me and my friends… and you guys… I'm… very happy that by borrowing his power, I can finally fit in inside this youkai family," Rikuo continued, still with that nostalgic mood and look in his adorable face.

Zen and Kappa flushed slightly seeing how cute Rikuo was and Yoru had to stop to pull the boy into his embrace, surprising Rikuo slightly. "Y-Yoru?" he stuttered, not expecting to be suddenly hugged like that by his youkai.

"Even without me, you are the grandson of Nurarihyon. You fit perfectly well in Nura Gumi," Yoru said, holding him even closer.

At that moment, suddenly Rikuo felt the overwhelming feeling of love pouring in and coursing inside his heart and body. He felt slightly dizzy and euphoric at that and he didn't know what happened before he remembered that his and Yoru's sense were connected.

_Oh…!_—Rikuo was stunned silence as he felt all those incredibly fervent feelings. It was as if he was drowned by it and it felt… wonderful, like he was embraced by cotton candies. Soft… sweet… comforting and yet tugging at his heart string as well, it was hard to describe.

"Rikuo…" Yoru's gentle voice teased his ear and Rikuo's face turned slightly red at the realization of the actual nature of Yoru's feelings.

Yoru loved Rikuo very much… that's what he felt very strongly at that time….

**End of Chapter 4**

**Tbc…**

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><p><strong>Additional Notes:<br>**

*****Taken from the English translation of Japanese song, Deep River, sung by Utada Hikaru**  
><strong>

**A/N: **Jyaaah! Finally the innocent, clueless Rikuo realized what Yoru feels towards him! XD How will he react to this knowledge? Man… I can't wait to write again! But aaah! So many stories to make and update! And I'm busy this week. Some friends from Japan will stop by in my country and I want to accompany them to see how beautiful my city is! XDDD Anyway, what do you think? Is it cute adorable enough? Funny enough? I HOPE SO. Now, review! Because your reviews are the only food of this starving author can digest to turn into energy to write more~ *love*


	5. Blown Out?

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei**

**Warning: **_like the previous… (just lazy to think f some…)_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ)** or **pika318 (ff net)**, thank you very much for the hard work, Dear~ XD

**A/N: **Oh man… I was supposed to update My Brother is Oyabun and Girl's Speculation! But a certain someone has been bugging me to update this! XP And I'm convinced just because I love writing this story more*lol*. Okay, I'll stop blabbing now. Oh, thanks for the faves, alerts and reviews! ENJOY!

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: <strong>_**Blown Out!**_

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><p><em>Naturally, from the lips the melody falls out <em>

_But the time when I don't know what to say _

_that was the happiest time...*_

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"Yoru…" Rikuo felt hesitant as the youkai tightened his hug around him. He didn't know what kind of reaction he should show after feeling what Yoru felt about him.<p>

This was very troublesome. He knew that Yoru liked… loved him in _that_ way now, but did he feel the same way?

Of course Rikuo liked Yoru, he did. Even though the start of their co-existence wasn't exactly smooth, he grew to like Yoru's company. But… this… this overwhelming passion that attacked him was too much!

Rikuo was confused and slightly dizzy. Even when Yoru was only hugging him like that, he didn't know where his hands should go. Should he hug Yoru's back? But what if Yoru misunderstood? He meant, surely he liked Yoru, but… this wasn't love. It couldn't be!

Both Rikuo and Yoru were _the same_ person! He couldn't love Yoru, _himself_, that way! This was just impossible!

Rikuo was frozen in Yoru's hug, not knowing what to do as he panicked. Yoru seemed to have felt Rikuo's inner turmoil and he slowly released the boy's body. He looked at Rikuo's spinning eyes with an amused look. "Don't be that alarmed. I don't exactly expect you to feel the same about me, Rikuo," he said, flicking Rikuo's forehead.

"Eh! W-what?" Rikuo sputtered and flushed, looking back at Yoru nervously while holding his slightly stinging forehead.

"It's okay. It's just my selfishness to feel this way about you. You don't have to worry about it," Yoru patted Rikuo's head and smiled now, tugging at Rikuo's heartstrings in the process.

"B-but… how…? I meant… I don't… understand. Why would you…?" Rikuo was very bothered. He couldn't exactly reject Yoru since Yoru and Rikuo shared the same fate and life. Yoru would be there for him, beside him, for the rest of his life after all.

_If you don't expect the same feeling from me… then why did you grow that kind of feeling in the first place?_—Rikuo wanted to ask, but he didn't even dare to look at Yoru's face now.

"Just don't think too hard about it. I'm fine with the way we are right now," Yoru said again before holding Rikuo's hand again to pull the boy towards the cottage where their family was waiting.

Nurarihyon and Zen shared a knowing look before they followed the two Sandaimes, while Kappa looked like he was utterly mystified with everything that just happened.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at the Keikain's dining room…<p>

Kiyotsugu, Kana, Shima, Saori and Natsumi sat at the breakfast table. The five of them wore stern and confused expressions.

"I was so sure we woke up early today…" Kiyotsugu mumbled, perplexed.

"I felt the same…" Kana agreed, looking very confused and nervous as well.

"But then… why were we suddenly back in our rooms again?" Shima seemed to be utterly baffled.

"That thing we saw… was it only a dream?" Saori asked, wondering about what happened earlier.

"But, we talked about it. We couldn't have dreamed the exact same dream, right? I meant, down to the smallest detail! That's just impossible!" Natsumi argued, giving a look which showed how ridiculous she thought the whole thing was.

"M-maybe it's because we're in an Onmyouji residence… so we got too caught up in our own fantasies?" Kiyotsugu suggested.

"If it's Kiyotsugu-kun, it's possible. But even Kana-chan and the others… we saw the same thing…" Saori said, holding her chin in suspicion.

"Wait a moment! What's that supposed to mean?" Kiyotsugu protested indignantly.

"No, I meant… Kiyotsugu-kun is always going on and on about the Commander, so it's not so strange that you fantasize about him in your dream, but… I don't really want to see him particularly," Saori said, explaining.

"What are you talking about? He's the Lord of Pandemonium! He saved our lives from a youkai attack four years ago! How could you not want to see him?" Kiyotsugu looked at Saori in mortification.

"It's not like that, kiyotsugu-kun," Natsumi intervened before the two could fight further. "What Saori-chan meant is… the Keikain Family was just under attack of a lot of scary youkai a couple days ago. Of course, we're grateful that the commander saved us when we were children four years ago. But… after looking at the destruction to the Keikain's main house, maybe we should be a little wary about youkai. And… and the Commander is also a youkai, right? So…" she tried to put her words together as un-offensive as possible for Kiyotsugu's sake, so he wouldn't explode in anger because they showed a little bit of fear towards his idol.

"Y-you think so? But…, I don't think Commander will do something like that, ever, even though he's a youkai…" Kiyotsugu pouted, looking down, getting slightly depressed.

"Of course not!" Kana suddenly spoke up, protesting. "He's a good guy! He has saved me numerous times!" she huffed.

"Um… by the way, I don't see Oikawa-san…" Shima seemed to be already distracted from their conversation topic as he noticed they were short one person.

"Ah, if it's Tsurara-chan, she said she needed to go to the bathroom…" Kana said before she blinked. "Huh…? Was she sleeping in the same room as us yesterday?" she tilted her head, confused, when suddenly the door opened and Yura came in, immediately distracting everyone from their musings.

"Ah, good morning, Keikain-san!" Kiyotsugu immediately greeted the short dark haired Onmyouji girl.

"Morning, everyone! Did all of you sleep well?" Yura asked with a smile, but her face twitched slightly for a reason that she knew perfectly well. It was because she had to pretend and she wasn't fond of pretending… at all.

"Morning…" Saori looked at her watch with a bead of sweat on her cheek. "It's almost noon. It seems like we overslept, somehow…" she then looked at Yura with questioning eyes.

"I-is that so?" Yura asked before she closed the door and then sat down beside Kana.

"Yura-chan, you overslept too?" Natsumi asked with wonder.

"Err… yeah, it seems so…" Yura looked the other way, feeling very awkward. She wasn't used to lying so blatantly like that after all.

"Then that's really just a dream…?" Kana held her cheek, unsure.

"What's wrong?" Yura asked, just because she wasn't supposed to know what those five teens had gone through this morning.

"You know, Keikain-san, we dreamed the weirdest, most impossible dream we have ever had!" Shima exclaimed, rather enthusiastically. "And the oddest thing is, we shared our dream! Right?" he then turned to Kiyotsugu and the others.

Kiyo nodded. "That is totally once in a lifetime experience!"

"Ooh? What kind of dream?" Yura asked again, just because she _had to_, even though she already knew.

"This early morning, we heard a very loud scream from Rikuo's room, but when we got there… oh you were there as well, by the way, and your brother too—, Rikuo-kun confessed that he had a nightmare and when you were about to enter his room, he said he was naked…" Kana blushed as she was retelling her supposed to be 'dream', particularly at that scene.

"Na-naked…" Yura also blushed at that, remembering herself. Then her mind almost exploded when a very scary revelation and crazy idea suddenly crossed her mind.

_This morning, Rikuo was naked… but he said that when he woke up, his youkai was already beside him… That means…!_—Yura almost cracked the table she was holding for support. Her body trembled in an effort to hold down her fury.

_What in the hell did that perverted youkai do to Nura-kun!_—Yura's mind screamed in total mortification at the image of Yoru violating her dear-dear cute friend.

Even though the young Onmyouji was quite innocent and didn't get the innuendos Yoru had spouted out in the meeting earlier, if the situation was that clear, even she would imagine something very inappropriate.

"Y-Yura-chan…?" Kana and the others looked at Yura warily as the dark fighting spirit was blazing behind her.

Yura snapped out of her mental torture as she heard Kana's voice. "Eh, what…? Oh, right. Then w-what happened next?" She almost forgot that she was in the middle of convincing her friends that what they saw this morning was just a dream and no more.

Saori and Natsumi shared a look with a bead of sweat on their cheeks. It seemed they concluded something from Yura's expression just now and Yura was dreading what they were thinking about as one of them spoke again, continuing Kana's story.

"And Tsurara-chan fainted," Saori said.

"Rikuo-kun said something about the room being too hot so he shed all the clothes…" Natsumi chuckled as she said that.

"And then he was scolded by your brother," Kiyotsugu supplied the continuation evenly. "We went back to our room to prepare for the day… right?" he turned to Shima.

"Yes, we should have. Then, not long after we heard an explosion!" Shima said expressively. He even used his hands to try to describe the situation. "We all ran out, wanting to know what happened."

"That's where things started to get weird. We were so sure we were awake when we went out and saw you, Yura-san… with something round on your hand," Saori said.

"Yes, and your brother was there too, with something like water circling him…" Natsumi continued.

"It looked like you were arguing with someone, which turned out to be Rikuo-kun!" Kana said. "And then he was standing in front of someone… that, that turned out to be 'that person'…!" now the girl looked so bewildered.

"The next thing we knew, we woke up once again in our room…" Kiyotsugu hanged down his head with cloud depression around him. "And here I thought I finally met the Commander… it turned out to be just a dream…"

"Though, it was very weird, you know. We already wore our daily clothes, not our pajamas," Saori added, looking at her clothes with a confused expression.

Yura winced at that. Of course she couldn't ask any of the guys to undress their friends and dress them once again in pajamas. That would be sexual harassment to children.

"M-maybe you guys just didn't remember that you fell asleep again after getting dressed for the day?" Yura tried to convince them, desperation dripping from her tone.

Oh, man… she couldn't do this! She needed someone to help her create a cover story!

"Ooh, so you guys couldn't tell that you fell asleep?"

Ryuuji's voice was suddenly heard as the door was opened to reveal another dark haired Onmyouji. He entered the room before closing the door again to face the middle school students at the table with a smirk.

"It seems like the chant was successful," Ryuuji said, sitting down.

"The chant?" the six teens (including Yura) at the table turned to him with surprise on their faces.

"It's a new chant that we develop to put people to sleep. All of you already woke up this morning. I experimented with you guys without you knowing, sorry," Ryuuji said, looking like he was seriously feeling bad, but Yura knew that he was just sweet-talking them to let it go.

"Ooh! Then the shared dream is the product of the chant?" Kiyotsugu then looked at the older boy with sparkling eyes, already buying the excuse even though it was totally impossible.

"Something like that," Ryuuji smiled nicely at the boy and Yura felt so very-very sorry for her friends who were so gullible towards her brother's evil lying habit it was almost pitiful. Her brother really did have a silver tongue after all.

But, he did help Yura cover for Rikuo, so she was thankful to him. Yura smiled slightly, seeing her brother entertain Kiyotsugu and the others when they asked around about the chant and how it works. They looked curious and happy.

_It's better this way…_

"Can you teach us the chant too?" Kiyotsugu asked with sparkling eyes again. Ryuuji's sweat dropped visibly at that.

…_or not!_

"Um… this is a family technique! A… a secret technique!" Yura tried to help her brother.

"Eh, but Ryuuji-san just said it was a new developed technique, right?" Shima asked, looking slightly confused.

_CRAAAAAP!—_Yura held her cheeks with paling face.

Ryuuji slapped his own forehead at that. "Idiot," he muttered lightly.

"Umm… err… ah, it's…" Yura almost cried at how to fix her slip. She turned her face to Ryuuji who seemed to notice how pitiful her situation was and he sighed at that.

"Sorry, Yura hasn't mastered the technique yet. She can't teach you guys and she's just embarrassed about it," Ryuuji said, smiling sheepishly while ruffling Yura's hair to cover her surely embarrassing expression.

"Oh… that's totally fine, Keikain-san! You don't have to be embarrassed about it!" Kiyotsugu said while tapping Yura's back with a wide smile on his face.

"That's right, Yura-chan. You can just tell us, we won't laugh," Kana said while smiling again.

"Yura-chan is still in training, so it's perfectly justified if there still one or two things you haven't mastered yet. Even as you are now, you're already a splendid Onmyouji, right?" Natsumi also supported the others opinions, smiling kindly in reassuring gesture.

"True! You're still better than all of us, especially Kiyotsugu there who got ripped off more often because he believes in the supernatural stuffs sold on the internet," Saori giggled, tapping Yura's back lightly as well.

"Hey! I resent that!" Kiyotsugu protested at Saori for being so rude.

Looking at her friends so earnestly trying to cheer her up, Yura felt like crying for real now. Even though her brother's hand was still covering her face from them, they seemed to know that she was very grateful that she had them as friends. They all smiled at her before they started to chatter around about what they would do for today.

Yura, noticing that she and her brother were no longer in her friends' attention, reached her brother's hand which was still on top of her head. She gripped around Ryuuji's wrist lightly, and with trembling mouth she whispered "I understand… why Nura-kun wants to protect them always…"

Ryuuji blinked once hearing the confession and softened his expression while ruffling Yura's hair some more before he released her head. "I understand too," he said, with a kind smile and Yura blushed slightly as she saw that.

"I'm going to train hard to do just that…, to protect them… and everyone else… just like Grandpa… and-and I'll be able to… to assist Nura-kun better… to defeat Nue…!" Yura said, still holding her brother's hand, tightening her grip in confidence.

"You have to, since you're the next head of this family, Yura," Ryuuji said surely as well, pulling the smaller girl slightly to lean on his shoulder.

"O-onii…chan…?" Yura looked upward at his brother's face slowly, slightly surprised by the affectionate gesture Ryuuji usually never showed to her.

"You can rely on the family more too. Don't push yourself too hard," Ryuuji said, putting his other hand on Yura's head again, caressing more gently.

Yura blushed again, this time a little deeper because this was very embarrassing. She didn't know that her brother could act so gently like this. This was very awkward, but… Yura felt very happy as well to experience this.

"T-Thanks…" Yura stuttered, embarrassed, hiding her face with her long bangs.

"So, what do you guys want to do for today?" Ryuuji suddenly started a conversation with the others again, gaining their attention.

Yura immediately pushed Ryuuji away because she didn't want her friends to see her in that embarrassing moment. Ryuuji looked at the blushing Yura with an odd look before he turned to her friends again.

"Eeh, we think we will stay in for today… and maybe help with the fixing of the main house," Kana said, looking sheepish.

"That's completely _unnecessary_. We can't possibly treat our guests like that," Ryuuji immediately rejected the idea. "Yura can bring all of you out for sightseeing? This past week was impossible because of the youkai roaming around Kyoto, but the battle is over for now. You can look around, buy some souvenirs, and maybe you will see the harmless stray youkai somewhere," he used his very slick tongue to talk them all into leaving the house for today.

As expected of Ryuuji. Yura couldn't help her sweat dropping at how Ryuuji could lie and convince people without breaking a sweat.

"Wow! We might see the remnant of the war between youkai and Keikain's Onmyoujis!" Kiyotsugu immediately fell into the trap, exclaimed enthusiastically.

_Kiyotsugu-kun…—_more beads of sweat dropped from Yura's head. She was thankful that her friends were so ignorant, but Kiyotsugu was in different league, apparently.

Though, Yura couldn't help wondering why Ryuuji wanted them out of the house….

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Kurotabou dropped his bamboo hat on the floor. Aotabo literally dropped his jaw. Kubinashi widened his eyes as big as saucers. Jyami actually slipped and fell down as Kejorou covered her surely open mouth with her kimono and Tsurara fainted for the second time that day when they saw who entered the cottage.<p>

"S-Sandaime… Rikuo…?" Shouhei eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he stared disbelievingly at the 'two' commanders on the doorstep.

"It's a long story, so don't scream yet," Nurarihyon came up behind Rikuo and Yoru who were still hand in hand, keeping quiet.

Rikuo obviously didn't want to explain the second time and didn't want to look at Yoru either. He seemed to be still in trouble and in shock finding out how much Yoru loved him… much more than he was supposed to.

What a wearisome kid he was.

Yoru sighed slightly as he glanced at the boy who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. He knew it was a bad idea to let Rikuo realize how he felt towards the boy, but he couldn't do anything about it. Their senses were connected. He couldn't stop the flow of connection between Rikuo and his feelings.

When Yoru was still in Rikuo's inner world, he could always disguise and tone down his feelings for Rikuo because he knew there was no prospect of 'romance' with your own body, but now that they were separated… Yoru was starting to hope that there was after all, a future for his 'love' for Rikuo.

But Rikuo seemed to be hoping the exact opposite… He wanted them to go back to be in the same body… That was clear enough for Yoru that Rikuo considered Yoru a part of himself, and not someone to love romantically. The boy must have been in shock finding Yoru's feeling for him to be not as platonic as he thought initially.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!"

Yoru blinked in surprise as he heard the sudden break of commotion.

"And here did I just tell you not to scream…" Nurarihyon glared in annoyance at his subordinates who started to yell out:

"There are two Rikuo-samas!"

"Rikuo-sama became two people!"

"How did this happen!"

"Which one is the real Rikuo-sama!"

"Is one of them an impostor!"

"Rikuo-sama! What the hell happened!"

"What's going on!"

They completely ignored Nurarihyon and began to question Yoru and Rikuo simultaneously in panicked looks and the old man seemed to be ticked off by their rude behavior.

"Wait, everyone, don't just…" Rikuo was just about to calm them down when Nurarihyon released his fear and started to smack their heads one by one with his pipe so they would shut up.

A moment later, numerous youkai were on the ground, nursing their smoking abused heads while groaning in pain because their supreme commander was very violent to them.

"That's for ignoring me," Nurarihyon huffed, still looking pissed off with popped up veins on his temple.

Rikuo and Yoru (plus Zen and Kappa and Shouhei who didn't scream like everyone else), paled slightly seeing that.

After several moments of recuperating, everyone was seated in awkward silence, hearing the explanation of what happened to Rikuo and Yoru from Nurarihyon and Zen. They were all in shock that their Sandaime were actually two beings in the same body.

"But… Gyuuki-dono had mentioned after his test that… both Riku… I meant, Yoru-sama and Rikuo sama were one person… only in different forms…" Karasu Tengu said, looking very confused.

"T-then… if Yoru-sama and Rikuo-sama are two beings… who will be the… Sandaime?" everyone then started to murmur in disbelief and confusion.

"W-well, we don't know if the curse is permanent, and we're still researching on how to break it…" Zen said, conspicuously glancing at Yoru who huffed at the idea, not liking it one bit, but Rikuo seemed to agree because he nodded surely.

"Then… how do we break the curse?" Tsurara, who already woke up and looked totally baffled and mystified at the idea of two Rikuos, asked with desperation laced in her tone.

Yoru glanced at the slightly distressed Snow Maiden and he couldn't help but feel sorry. He knew exactly how she felt about Rikuo, and maybe about him a little, but she still considered him 'Rikuo' as well, so probably it was slightly biased.

"Firstly, since we don't know if the curse was from Hagoromo Gitsune or from Nue, we have to look for information," Nurarihyon said.

"But… Hagoromo Gitsune was already sent to hell. We can't really ask her," Shouhei pointed out slightly, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. He stole a glance at Rikuo and then at Yoru, looking awkward as well.

"Well, there are the remnants of Kyoto youkai who Riku… Yoru…" Zen sighed, seeming to be troubled of how to refer Rikuo and Yoru. He then turned at Yoru and Rikuo before asking "Which one of you fought Hagoromo a couple of days ago?" Zen seemed to be unsure of that.

"We both fought them," Yoru answered easily. "I can't use Matoi without Rikuo, so we did fight together," he continued.

"Then, both Yoru and Rikuo released some youkai after the fight ended. We can ask them," Zen continued his suggestion to the other Nura Gumi youkai.

"Oh, then we should look for them today!" the smaller youkai shouted, seeming to be already in spirit to help their master get back together… in one body.

Yoru frowned. He really didn't like the idea at all.

"Kaiten Kyoukotsu…" Rikuo mumbled slightly, gaining the other youkai attention. "She said… she'd be in Hagoromo Gitsune's fortress… or something, right?" he asked looking upwards at everyone, including Yoru, though he quickly looked away again, blushing slightly.

"Kyoukot… ah, the little girl?" Jyami seemed to remember her since he fought her at the war, together with Shouhei.

"Yeah, the daughter of the previous Kyoukotsu…" Rikuo smiled at Jyami and the youkai became silent, for some reasons. "You see… she isn't exactly evil. She just… trusted and cared about Hagoromo… I meant, Yamabuki Otome so much…" he looked down, looking rather sad.

Yoru understood though. He was there when Yamabuki died after all. His heart still hurt too remembering how everything turned out. "She's less dangerous and aggressive compared to the others, you meant?" Yoru asked, surprising the chocolate-black haired boy slightly.

"Y-yes… I think if we want to speak to her, she will answer what she knows civilly," Rikuo said again, looking at Yoru slightly warily.

Yoru sighed. He couldn't have that. He didn't like that Rikuo was guarding his feelings around Yoru. He also didn't like how Rikuo seemed to be worried about him. Even though he didn't like the idea of going back into Rikuo's body, he didn't want to make the boy upset either.

Yoru smiled slightly at Rikuo. "We can go today if you're up for it," he said, encouraging the boy.

"Eh?" Rikuo widened his eyes in surprise at that. "Are… are you okay with it?" he asked carefully.

Yoru huffed out a small laugh. "I told you not to worry about that. Your wish is my command after all," he winked slightly at him and Rikuo flushed again, looking extremely embarrassed, but very-very cute nonetheless.

Yoru almost blushed himself seeing such adorable expression. Damn Rikuo…! He had to glance away slightly to control his expression.

Apparently, those exchanges between the two Sandaimes didn't escape the other youkai attention because Kejourou covered her mouth while spilling "Oh my…" with a very interested look as she stared between Rikuo's blushing profile and Yoru's sudden nervousness.

Kubinashi literally dropped his jaw when he saw that as well, his face paling considerably. Kurotabou blinked before widening his eyes in disbelief while Jyami chuckled slightly seeing it. Tsurara didn't seem to get what was going on, but she stared at her two masters curiously as well. Shouhei looked away, looking a bit embarrassed somehow. Kappa just scratched his head, still looking confused.

Zen's reaction was much calmer than the others, but it didn't stop him from looking awkward while Nurarihyon just sighed, shaking his head witnessing his grandsons antics.

Yoru realized that everyone was looking at him and Rikuo weirdly. He toyed with the idea of showing how much he loved the chocolate haired boy to everyone, but he just knew that Rikuo would feel very embarrassed and humiliated that he would definitely be very mad at Yoru.

Well, at least Rikuo didn't seem to notice that everyone knew something was going on between him and Yoru. How Rikuo could be that clueless was beyond Yoru's imagination.

"Don't say such a stupid thing," Rikuo pouted cutely and Yoru felt the urge to hug him again, but he held his desire just enough to close his eyes and chuckle.

"Ahem, anyway, who wants to go to look for Kyoukotsu?" Nurarihyon asked then and immediately everyone raised their hand. "We can't all go," he huffed. "The smaller ones stay in this house. Hmm…, Kurotabo and Kubinashi can go. Ah… and since Rikuo is still pretty banged up, someone has to lift him so Aotabo…"

"Let me go too, Shosaisho!" Tsurara raised her hand high.

"Well, if you insist—,"

"Aren't you supposed to be around _Rikuo's_ human friends to keep an eye on them?" Yoru asked Tsurara and the Snow Maiden jolted in surprise at the sudden inquiry.

"Ah, y-yes, but protecting Rikuo-sama is my priority…" Tsurara stuttered slightly.

"Tsurara… I'll be with Rikuo. You don't think I can protect him?" Yoru smiled at her ruefully and she blushed, looking slightly ashamed.

"I-I didn't mean to be disrespectful, Ri-… Yoru-sama," Tsurara tried to explain frantically and Rikuo seemed to be mad with Yoru at that. It showed on his face.

"Yoru! Stop teasing her!" Rikuo hissed at Yoru in annoyance.

"I didn't mean to tease her. I'm just asking her to trust me a little bit. Weren't you feeling the same a week ago? You don't want to see her getting hurt because of us too, right?" Yoru huffed slightly.

"That might be true, but… she has worked so hard to fight alongside us. Don't question her loyalty," Rikuo pouted again at Yoru.

"I'll never question her loyalty. I know she'd be there when we need her. But she has to learn to give you a break too. Sometimes, you're suffocated by everyone's attention and expectations too, and don't try to deny it because it's the truth. I was there and saw everything," Yoru looked at Rikuo gravely and Rikuo flinched slightly looking his very serious expression.

Really… Rikuo should just stop thinking about people and think about himself once in awhile. That way, Yoru wouldn't be so worried about the boy all the time.

"I-I'm sorry…" Rikuo looked down and Yoru blinked at him stunned.

Did Rikuo just apologize to him?

"Why are you apologizing?" Yoru was confused.

"But… Yoru, you sound… mad…" Rikuo looked at Yoru with those big round glassy puppy eyes that sent a Cupid Arrow straight to Yoru's heart he had to cover his forehead (and face) so as to hide his blush.

_This idiot…!_—Yoru took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I think we should go after Rikuo feels better. I meant… it won't be funny if we're attacked when he can't fight at all," Yoru said, choosing to try and ignore Rikuo's cuteness for the time being to compose the storm of emotion in his heart. He didn't want Rikuo to feel how hard it was for him to keep his hands to himself.

"Agreed," Zen raised his hand in agreement. "Rikuo still needs his rest and we have to figure out how to hide Yoru since he can't be too far away from Rikuo yet. As for the companions that can go with Rikuo… and Yoru," he added before Yoru glared at him for leaving him out, "-you can decide it with Jan Ken or wrestle or any game you want. And only three people can tag along, since it's less conspicuous that way," he continued.

"Yeeees," the other youkai replied in unison.

Nurarihyon smirked at Zen. "Don't you want to tag along too?" he asked.

"No. It's bad enough that I know what's going on. I don't want to add the problem by questioning Sandaime… Yoru," Zen said, sweat dropping again.

Nurarihyon chuckled at that. "It's not that bad. At least he doesn't immediately kidnap Rikuo and propose to him like I did Youhime back then," and then he laughed, looking amused while Zen could only sigh in defeat at Nurarihyon's careless response.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Even on days that bad events occured <em>

_It all flies away when I see you...* _

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Yoru and Rikuo made it back to their room, and the wall was already patched somehow, safely, without being seen by anyone, whether it was Rikuo's human friends or the Onmyouji.<p>

They were now seated in the room. Rikuo was eating his brunch specially prepared for him, since he didn't join the Keikains. Yoru was sitting at the corner of the room, leaning against the wall while observing his other half eating and that made Rikuo rather uncomfortable.

"Stop staring. You make me nervous," Rikuo said, looking at Yoru, totally troubled.

"I watched you all the time before and you were never bothered," Yoru raised his eyebrows arrogantly.

"That's different. I couldn't see you," Rikuo muttered.

"So you're bothered because… you can see me watching you?" Yoru asked and Rikuo's face heated. He must have been blushing again.

"Shut up!" and Rikuo threw Yoru a pickle.

"Rikuo, stop wasting and playing with your food even though it's just pickled radish," Yoru smirked, mimicking Wakana's tone.

"I'm not wasting my food! I'm giving it to you!" Rikuo retaliated in annoyance. "Why don't you eat anyway?" he asked again, huffing.

"I'm not hungry… I guess, since you're eating, that means I'm eating too," Yoru said. "In the end, maybe nothing changes much even though now we're separated. Our senses are still connected and I'm still living by 'taking' your life energy. And here I thought that you can finally concentrate on living your human life without having to worry the youkai aspect…" the youkai then closed his eyes, sighing deeply.

Rikuo widened his eyes slightly as he heard that. "Is that why you don't want to go back being one with me?" he asked, feeling slightly touched at Yoru's attention towards him. Really, he didn't understand why Yoru could think about him so much.

"Part of it," Yoru shrugged, appearing not to care, but Rikuo felt what was on the outside wasn't even close to what was on the inside. He had felt how Yoru felt about him after all. "The other part is… well…" he then looked away, seeming to be unwilling to say whatever he was thinking, but Rikuo could guess it.

Rikuo blushed again then. They went into uncomfortable silence after that as Rikuo continued eating.

"Hey, Yoru…" Rikuo broke the silence again five minutes later.

"What?" Yoru responded lazily.

"Why do you… l-l-lo—," Rikuo stuttered and he was about to ask why Yoru loved him when the door to his room was suddenly opened.

"Rikuo-kun! Are you better now?" Kana suddenly entered, followed by Kiyotsugu and the others and Rikuo dropped his chopstick as he turned to see his human friends, paling severely.

_Oh no…!_—Rikuo's mind went on red alert immediately and he noticed that Yoru was trying to hide himself with his Nurari kurari technique, but apparently, he couldn't completely blend into his surrounding because Kana widened her eyes and covered her mouth in shock.

So did everyone that saw the silver-black haired youkai afterwards.

"Commander of all youkai!" and Kiyotsugu didn't hold back because he immediately shouted as he saw him, his eyes sparkling and his mouth hanging open. He looked totally ecstatic.

"No way…! It's really the youkai from that time…?" Saori widened her eyes as well.

"For real?" and Natsumi as well.

"Holy shit—!" and of course, Shima.

"You're… that person…!" Kana seemed totally shocked and bewildered seeing Yoru sitting in Rikuo's room relaxingly like that.

"W-wait—! This is…!" Rikuo's throat seized up. He lost his ability to speak at that moment.

_Aaaaah!_—and Rikuo was panicking on the inside, not knowing how to handle this situation.

"Why…, why is the commander in Rikuo-kun's room…?" Kana asked, looking very mystified, surprised, curious, and hell you named it.

_What should I do…? What the HELL should I tell them!_—Rikuo's brain was raking a way to get out of this situation. He didn't expect that his friends would just barge in his room like that!

Yoru though, seemed to be very calm about all of this despite Rikuo panicky. Though, he seemed to feel the overwhelming anxiety Rikuo was feeling right now because he shook his head slightly, probably trying to clear his head.

Yoru then gradually stood, looking at the humans with his deep mysterious crimson eyes and with that unreadable expression, making the humans, except Rikuo who was still panicking, gulp slightly in nervousness.

Yoru then stepped forward slowly without making any sound, walking towards Rikuo, which earned a step back from the humans who started to look slightly wary.

Rikuo didn't even realize about what was going on because he was too busy hyperventilating, already in standing position to boot caused by his jumpy reaction and the panic attack for getting caught by his human friends.

Rikuo jerked in shock when he realized that Yoru was already behind him and he was still facing the disbelief of his friends' expression.

_What to do…? What the hell should I do!_—and the process was repeating as Rikuo's face became paler and paler.

"Long time no see… Kana-chan," Yoru then smiled slightly at Kana who jolted in surprise for being addressed so suddenly.

"Ah… y-y-you… why…?" Kana seemed at a loss of words as well.

"Commander!" Kiyotsugu called him and Yoru's enticing gaze shifted to the boy who obviously trembled either from fear or excitement… or both. "Ah… I… I suppose you don't remember me, but… but you're my hero since I was a kid!" and he shouted, pretty enthusiastically while the others' sweat dropped at that.

Yoru chuckled slightly. "I know you… I know all of you," he said and everyone, including Rikuo, widened their eyes at that confession.

_Yoru! What—!_

"Rikuo here… always talks about you guys," Yoru then draped his hand on Rikuo's shoulder casually.

"Rikuo-kun?" Kana then turned to him with a disbelieving look. "You said you didn't know anything about him! He's really your friend!" She exclaimed while pointing, still looking in disbelief.

"WHAT?" Kiyotsugu turned at Kana in surprise. "What do you mean? Commander is friends with Rikuo?" he looked utterly confused.

Rikuo didn't know how to respond to that. He really didn't. He could only gape, open and closing his mouth, but the words failed him.

"A friend…" Yoru chuckled slightly again. "A friend, huh…? Really…?" he then glanced at Rikuo who felt like almost passing out dealing with this disaster.

Rikuo's life was over. That was what Rikuo thought.

"My… how sweet," Yoru spoke again teasingly still smirking and chuckling before his hand that was on Rikuo's shoulder moved down slowly before the other hand sneaked around Rikuo's side and then he suddenly held Rikuo with both arms while resting his chin on Rikuo's shoulder.

Rikuo tensed in his hold and his mind screamed _WHAT THE—!_

"Ah, that's why I love this child very much…" Yoru purred, lowering his voice and gaze slightly, creating such sexy and intimate atmosphere between him and Rikuo.

…_EH!_—Rikuo was totally frozen, eyes widening so much he thought they would pop out.

If Rikuo thought the humans were shocked, it was an understatement because he saw how they looked. They looked beyond shocked. They were mortified by what Yoru had said.

_W-w-w-w—! What the hell are you doing, YORU!_

"Ssh… be quiet and leave it to me," Yoru whispered in undertone into Rikuo's ear.

_HUH!_

"W-what… do you—?"

Rikuo jerked in surprise again as he heard Kana's trembling voice.

Yoru visibly smirked at that, seeming like plotting something.

_What the hell…! What the hell! WHAT THE HELL!_—Rikuo's mind couldn't help screaming in horror. He didn't know what was going on and he absolutely NO IDEA what was happening!

_What in the world is Yoru up to?_

**End of Chapter 5**

**Tbc…**

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><p><strong>Additional Note:<strong>

*Taken from English translation of Japanese song 'Automatic', sung by Utada Hikaru**  
><strong>

**A/N: **Aaaaah! The cliffy! XDDD Oh how I LOVE the cliffhanger *lol* Woops, I'm sorry for cutting it here. I know when I showed the preview picture (http: / charista. deviantart. com/art/Yoru-x-Rikuo-A-Truth-in-A-Lie-287446817?q=gallery%3Acharista&qo=1) *just remove the space ^_^* You'll know the reason why Yoru did that, but the word-count is getting out of hand, so… it's unavoidable. De… what do you think about this chapter? Review guuuys! Cause I wanna know what you think! XDDD


	6. Agreement

**Disclaimer: Shiibashi-sensei owns Nuramago and its characters.**

**Warning: **_same old, same old... read chapter 1_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) or pika318 (ff net)**, thank you very much for beta-ing this chapter, dear!

**A/N: **Hyaaah, sorry for being so late posting. There's been a glitch in the internet and mail delivery system that my beta didn't get the raw draft because it went into spam ^^; Well, things like that do happen time to time. Oh, and thank you so much for reviewing, alerting and faving this story as well! Now, enjoy this new chapter!

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: <em>Agreement<em>**

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><p><em>It's a mission I've decided to continue, even on my own <em>

_It's not like I can say that I love you to anyone* _

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Yoru tightened his hold on Rikuo's body, nuzzling his neck lovingly from behind, showing the humans, Rikuo's precious friends, how much he loved the chocolate-black haired boy.<p>

Kana covered her mouth in total surprise, her face burning red in embarrassment while the others widened their eyes and dropped their jaws on the ground in total shock.

And Rikuo… Rikuo seemed to be on the verge of passing out, his face pale, as if he wanted to run away from reality at that moment.

Really, Yoru understood, though. Rikuo must have been mortified because he had done something like that in front of Rikuo's friends. Yoru just said that he loved… _LOVED_ Rikuo, and it wasn't in the brotherly or friendly way. Even 13 year olds would understand what he meant if he said it in that manner. He embraced Rikuo's body sensually after all.

"W-what—?" Shima stuttered, his face paling severely while Kiyotsugu was still frozen at the view. Saori and Natsumi visibly blushed now, sweating profoundly as well. Kana's body was trembling.

"Love…? You… what…?"

It appeared that the kids couldn't react properly at what Yoru had said and done. Rikuo couldn't say anything either because he seemed to be passing out for real right then.

Yoru smirked. It worked better than he had thought initially, but he needed to explain why he loved Rikuo. After all, it had something to do with the fact that Rikuo and Yoru knew each other much-much longer than the humans had known.

"You guys must be wondering right now why I come to love this human," Yoru spoke again, earning everyone's attention, including Rikuo who jerked out of his stupor. "Must be questioning… why I'm here, why Rikuo knows me, and why I'm always around you whether you realize it or not…" he released his embrace slightly from Rikuo who seemed to try to turn around to look at him, but Yoru didn't let him by holding both of Rikuo's shoulders to make him stand still, facing his friends directly.

"Y-Yoru…!" Rikuo whispered slightly, his voice low and shaking in anxiety.

"It actually has something to do with the accident four year ago. Do you guys remember? The first time I met you guys… in that dark tunnel?" Yoru said, reminding the boys and the girls about the incident with Gagoze Group.

"D-do you mean… when we were attacked by a group of youkai… after the bus accident?" Kiyotsugu, having come back to reality after the initial shock, reacted first at the question since he had never forgotten that fateful day.

"Yes… It seems you really do remember everything about me, Kiyotsugu," Yoru smiled enticingly at the dark haired teen and the boy blushed instantly at that.

"C-C-Commander knows my name…!" Kiyotsugu almost cried (or fainted) at that fact, seeming to be very touched.

"Do you remember… why Rikuo wasn't in that bus with you guys?" Yoru asked again and everyone widened their eyes as they seemed to remember.

"Yoru… stop…!" Rikuo gritted his teeth, his voice and his body still trembling.

Yoru could guess that Rikuo thought he was about to tell them everything about Rikuo's origin and nature. Things that he wanted to hide most because he didn't want to undergo the unpleasant experience that followed after he tried to tell them about who he was once.

"We… called Nura-kun a liar… for saying that… there were a lot of youkai in his house… and that his grandfather was…!" Kiyotsugu threw Rikuo a disbelieving expression and Rikuo closed his eyes, seeming to feel hopeless about this situation.

"The Commander of all Youkai…!" The other gasped in shock as well as they remembered it.

"Yes… at that time, Rikuo didn't know that I was posing as his grandfather," Yoru said.

…

…

"Eh?" Rikuo opened his eyes and blinked in dumbfounded look, as well as the others who dropped their jaws at that.

"W-WHAT?" And they immediately shouted in unison, looking totally surprised.

"The Nura mansion has been my home since more than 400 years ago and my subordinates and I have been staying there all the time. We hardly had any human guests, you see… so when Rikuo's family moved in the house, I was so happy… that I wanted to tease them," Yoru smirked, chuckling at the baffled expression those kids made, especially Rikuo's.

"Once, I posed as Rikuo's grandfather and told him stories about me being Nurarihyon and that I commanded Hyakki Yako throughout Japan. Rikuo was so gullible he believed me on the spot," he then ruffled Rikuo's hair lovingly.

"Wha—so Rikuo telling us that he was the grandson of the Commander of all Youkai was… because you tricked him?" Shima asked, shocked and confused at the same time.

"Yes… he got bullied because of that, right?" Yoru snickered.

"You're so mean!" Natsumi immediately exclaimed, looking slightly mad.

"Do you know how much Nura-kun tried to defend you?" Saori also shouted, looking angry.

"Yoru…?" Rikuo seemed to be very confused at that moment. He didn't seem to understand why Yoru was lying about who he was and about that time.

"It was just a joke. I'm a youkai, and youkai are bad. Doesn't Yura always tell you that?" Yoru's smirk widened slightly. "Youkai are evil creatures… it's always been that way," he continued with mirth glinting in his ruby colored eyes.

"But… but you saved us from another youkai attack…!" Kana said, sounding protesting. It seemed she didn't want to regard Yoru as a bad person… youkai. Maybe it was because she liked him.

Yoru softened his expression as he heard that. Kana and the others seemed to be amazed seeing his gentle look. "That… because a certain someone came to me, and then begged me to help him save his friends…" he said, looking far away as if he were remembering nostalgic experience.

"Someone…?" Saori looked slightly perplexed at that.

"Rikuo… saw the news about the accident and he came to me saying something like _'Please save my friends, Commander! I'll do anything for you in return if you just save them!'_ or _'You can have me if you save my friends!'_ or something in those lines…"

"Who the helmph—!" Rikuo reacted immediately at the lies Yoru spouted into his friends' heads, seeming about to protest hard while blushing madly, so Yoru covered the boy's mouth before he could say anything that could blow the cover.

The chocolate-black haired boy was struggling to release himself from Yoru, trying to shout and yell with red face, but of course, Yoru didn't let him by holding him close.

"You see… I was touched by this child's pure heart. He was willing to sacrifice himself to save his friends," Yoru purred again near Rikuo's ear, sending shivers to Rikuo's body. Yoru smirked because the boy's struggle faltered slightly and he also saw how Rikuo's friends widened their eyes again, looking shocked hearing his words.

"Instantly… I fell in love with this boy's soul, and you know what youkai do if they fall in love with human souls, right?" Yoru then glanced at the humans who gasped again. They seemed to guess what he would say after that. "Youkai possess the human they love," he said, smirking again with evil glint in his crimson orbs.

"Possess…" Everyone looked at Rikuo and Yoru in incredulity as Yoru floated slightly behind Rikuo, one of his hands still covering Rikuo's mouth, the other draped leisurely on his chest.

"It's a pact… an agreement I made with this child four years ago… in return for lending my power to protect you guys from youkai… Rikuo will become mine entirely… his body… his soul… his heart… all of him… belong to me," Yoru finished, flaring his youki slightly to create a sinister atmosphere in the room, showing how much Rikuo had sacrificed for the sake of protecting them.

Yoru always wanted those humans to know. Yoru was Rikuo's egoistical side after all. He wanted them to appreciate Rikuo more for what he had to do for their sake. He wanted them to know that Rikuo deserved more happiness.

Yoru wanted to send a message… and now, that message was accepted, delivered so splendidly without threatening Rikuo's secret as a quarter youkai.

Yoru slowly released Rikuo's mouth, but the smaller boy didn't say anything even after he released him completely.

"R-Rikuo-kun…"

Rikuo jolted in surprise as Kana called his name. The chocolate-black haired boy looked up to his friends and they looked like they were about to cry or something.

Yoru smiled slightly as he pushed Rikuo's back to go to them and Rikuo turned slightly at Yoru, looking bewildered. "Go and tell them your feelings," he mouthed quietly and he saw his other half, his human side, look like he was about to cry as well.

Rikuo then walked towards his friends who immediately hugged him while crying. "Sorry… we never thought… we didn't know… sorry…"

"And thank you…"

Rikuo closed his eyes as tears started to gather before they were slowly dripping to his cheeks. He seemed to be very happy, touched, poignant, and Yoru couldn't help smiling in happiness as well seeing how content Rikuo's expression at that moment, surrounded by his friends' care and warmth.

_Humans… are really interesting creature…._

Now… if only the part where all of Rikuo belonged to him were true, then Yoru would die happy as well….

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>"Isn't there anything we can do to undo the pact?" Kana asked suddenly, looking serious and determined.<p>

"K-Kana-chan…" Rikuo's sweat dropped as he was faced so closely by the chocolate haired girl.

"That's right! We can't just let Nura-kun bear the burden of being possessed by the Commander like this for our sake only!" Shima agreed, huffing, looking determined as well to help.

"I can't believe this…! I didn't know that the Commander is capable of doing something as evil as possessing people like this…!" Kiyotsugu looked visibly depressed and down at the corner of the room while Yoru was on the other side of the room, seeming to observe them in silence.

"We should ask the Onmyouji if there's a way to undo this agreement! I meant… why must Nura-kun be possessed by the Commander just to protect us?" Saori also protested, not accepting that.

"Exorcising the Commander will be impossible, don't you think…? Should we ask him nicely to let Nura-kun go?" Natsumi mumbled, seeming to think about it seriously.

"Guys… it's okay, you know. It's not like he's killing me or something…" Rikuo smiled ruefully.

"It's NOT okay AT ALL!" everyone hurriedly denied, surprising the hell out Rikuo with their 'united' loud voices.

"After all… he said it so clearly…! The Commander is in LOVE with you, Nura-kun!" Natsumi said, flushing so hard in disturbed look.

"And he made it very clear that he _wants_ your body as well!" Saori slammed her fist on the tatami, looking totally affronted.

"That means Rikuo-kun will be… NOOOO!" Kana held her cheeks which had turned crimson because she seemed to be imagining very provocative things.

"Don't worry, Nura! We will protect your chastity!" Shima said seriously.

More beads of sweat prickled and dropped from Rikuo's face. It seemed his friends had imagined the worst about what Yoru had said about him wanting to possess Rikuo entirely. And Yoru's declaration about his body, heart and soul that belong to him wasn't helping.

What would Rikuo tell his friends now? That Yoru wasn't serious? But the silver black haired youkai had took the trouble to create all those lies to save Rikuo's cover… and Rikuo had suspicion that Yoru wasn't entirely lying when he said he wanted all of Rikuo…

Rikuo blushed as he thought about it. His heart and his body… did Yoru really want him to that extent? He couldn't help glancing at his other half who didn't let his gaze stray from Rikuo. His ruby eyes glinted slightly as they met Rikuo's dark honey colored orbs.

"Nura-kun, do you understand?"

Rikuo snapped out of his trance as he heard Kiyotsugu's voice. It seemed he was done moping and now was back in the game with a new mission: to protect Rikuo from being violated by the Commander of All Youkai.

"W-what?" Rikuo asked, slightly bewildered since he didn't exactly hear what they were talking about.

"Aah! You spaced out, didn't you?" Shima scolded.

"Sorry, sorry, but… I don't think I need any protection…" Rikuo said, rather sheepishly.

"What are you saying? What if he suddenly attacked you in your sleep?" Saori huffed, pointing that out with an annoyed look.

"Bu-but… even though Yoru said all those things, I don't think that he will force himself on me…" Rikuo blushed at Saori's blatant words. And he felt even more embarrassed that he was trying to defend Yoru's honor.

"You don't know that! The Commander is a youkai! And he said it himself that youkai are bad! They are evil!" Natsumi said as well, trying to convince Rikuo.

"B-but… Yoru… isn't that bad…" Rikuo looked away slightly. "Surely, sometimes he's stubborn and egoistical, but… we've been living together for more than four years and… all this time… he has never hurt me, not even once…"

"Nura-kun…" Kiyotsugu looked conflicted as he heard that.

"Rikuo-kun, is it… is it possible that you… you like the Commander?" Kana asked, looking worried.

"Eh?" Rikuo snapped at that and was about to protest when he had second thoughts.

It wasn't like Rikuo didn't like Yoru. In fact, Kana was right. He cared about him. Well, Yoru was Rikuo, after all. Even though he didn't want to admit it out loud, or even though at first he didn't want Yoru to exist inside him, after all this time, he couldn't imagine living without Yoru anymore.

"Nura…kun?" Everyone looked at Rikuo with concerned looks as well because it seemed, he had been silent for too long.

Rikuo looked down, blushing slightly. "I don't… hate him." That was the best thing he could say about his feelings for Yoru.

Yes, Rikuo liked Yoru, but… he didn't know if that 'like' was the same as the 'love' that Yoru had for him, so… he could only say that he didn't mind having Yoru around.

"It seems… you have considered the Commander as part of your life, huh?" Kiyotsugu asked, looking serious and Rikuo nodded at that. "You even called him 'Yoru'. Is that his name?" he asked again.

"I… call him that and he doesn't mind the way I do…" Rikuo said again. "Yoru… despite what he told you… he isn't a bad guy. He's always… protecting me… and you guys…" he continued.

"Because he wants you, right?" Shima asked, still looking skeptical.

"Yes, maybe, but… everything he does… he does it because he knows it will make me happy," Rikuo said again, smiling slightly. "Whatever ulterior motive he has behind all of his conducts, I don't think that I can hate him for it…" he continued again and his friends looked like they had no other choice.

"Just… tell us if it's getting too hard for you! We'll do anything we can to help!" Kana said, looking totally confident about it.

"Kana-chan… thank you, everyone. As long as you guys have faith in me and Yoru, I think we'll be fine," Rikuo said, smiling so nicely and cutely that everyone looked slightly amazed seeing how adorable their friend was.

"No wonder the Commander wants him…" Saori couldn't help muttering, a bead of sweat dropping from her slightly blushing cheeks.

"Nura-kun can look very adorable and endearing sometimes…" Natsumi agreed, smiling ruefully.

"Just now, there was a sudden 'kyuuun' in my heart…!" Kana held her chest, looking slightly in shock while flushing.

"Kiyotsugu-kun… Nura-kun is an endangered species; we have to protect him at all cost…!" Shima said, clenching his fists determinedly.

"You're right, Shima-kun! We will work hard to protect him!" and Kiyotsugu nodded curtly, looking as determined as his friends.

_Jeez, you guys…—_Rikuo's sweat dropped as he saw their reaction while in the corner of his eyes, he saw Yoru smile slightly in relief….

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p><em>Aim at the target <em>

_I'm throwing my heart at you*_

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>Yura almost freaked out when she found her friends, who should have been going sightseeing with her, in Rikuo's room… with Yoru clinging behind Rikuo.<p>

Looking at every aspect, those human boys and girls totally saw the youkai who looked like he owned the place… and Rikuo who was totally squirming there, looking very uncomfortable, in the Commander's hold.

Rikuo looked the other way when Yura gaped at him, losing her ability to speak because she was totally shocked at the view. Then, she almost shrieked as well after the initial shock of why Rikuo let Yoru appear in front of his human friends wore off, when Ryuuji, who happened to be there, readily covered Yura's mouth before she could blow whatever cover Rikuo and Yoru had spout out to his friends.

"Hmp—!" Yura widened her eyes at the sudden gesture of her brother behind her as Ryuuji began to spoke.

"Ah… so you guys finally met the youkai," Ryuuji glared sharply at Yoru who only smirked and Rikuo who sighed deeply. The older teen seemed to be trying to figure out what was going on and what kind of situation it was.

"Ryuuji-san!" Kiyotsugu hurriedly greeted the older dark haired Onmyouji and ran to him, slightly frantically. "We just found out that our friend, Nura Rikuo-kun is possessed by a youkai! It's Nurarihyon, to boot!" he tried to explain.

Yura was still unable to talk because Ryuuji's palm was still covering her mouth, but she listened to what Kiyotsugu wanted to say because apparently, Rikuo and Yoru had created another cover story for the Commander's appearance.

"Possession…?" Ryuuji glared again at Rikuo and Yoru, as if he were telling those two that they were such troublesome guys and idiots.

"Yes! Apparently, Rikuo-kun made some kind of pact four years ago… that he was willing to give his body, heart and soul to the Commander if the Commander saved us from a youkai attack!" Kiyotsugu continued.

Not long after that, all the humans, except Rikuo who was still in Yoru's hold' had crowded around Yura and Ryuuji, trying to tell the two Onmyoujis simultaneously about what Yoru had told them not long ago.

Yura blinked as she heard about it, very surprised that Yoru, all of youkai, had decided to be a bad guy to save Rikuo's cover. She looked at Yoru in skepticism while Yoru kept his smirk in place, looking to tally confident and evil, as evil as he could appear.

Rikuo visibly sighed again and jerked slightly when Yoru rested his chin on his soft looking chocolate hair. The smaller boy squirmed again because Yoru's hands seemed to be very exploratory. A vein popped out on Yura's head as she saw that.

Yura grabbed her brother's hand and yanked it away from her mouth so she could shout "Hey you, youkai over there! Get your hands off of Nura-kun!" at Yoru while fuming angrily.

Everyone seemed to be surprised at her outburst, even Yoru who blinked once before smirking again. "Jealous?" he actually chuckled teasingly at her and Yura almost exploded in mortification and horror that Yoru just flirted with her, with HER all of people!

"You…! Do you want to be exterminated so badly…!" Yura was very itching to take out her Shikigami to at least blast Yoru away that her body was actually shaking.

"Eh? Eh?" Rikuo seemed to be very confused at what was happening that he looked between Yoru and Yura with bewildered look.

"Calm down!" Ryuuji actually slapped the back of Yura's head, surprising her.

"Ow! What the—! Oniichan!" Now Yura was distracted by Ryuuji's annoyed huff, while trying to nurse her stinging head.

"Look carefully. Rikuo-kun doesn't seem to be in distress. The possession isn't hurting him, so we have to observe first," Ryuuji said, looking at Yura sharply as if he were trying to send a message.

"W-what are you…?" Yura gasped as she realized that her brother was right.

Supporting Rikuo and Yoru's cover came first before their personal feelings about the youkai. Moreover, Yoru and Rikuo were the major players to defeat Nue, so she couldn't really blast the youkai away from Rikuo.

Yura gritted her teeth slightly in annoyance before she noticed her friends who seemed to be very concerned. "Sorry for losing it… just looking at that youkai trying to do something to Nura-kun almost set me off…" she confessed.

"K-Keikain-san!" Rikuo suddenly spoke, earning Yura's and the others' attention as well. "I-I'm fine, so… you don't have to be worried about this possession thing. I'm strong enough to handle Yoru alone, so it's okay," he said, looking serious and determined, but his eyes were also sending her messages, that she should cooperate with that cover for now.

Yura was slightly reluctant, but it wasn't like she had any choice for that matter. She sighed deeply before nodding. "Understood," she said before she looked up again and narrowed her eyes at Yoru specifically even though her next words were spoken to Rikuo. "Just say the word if it's too much for you."

Rikuo visibly sighed in relief at that and nodded while smiling cutely. "Of course," he said, looking happy.

Ryuuji also sighed at that, looking annoyed as hell. "How troublesome," he muttered and a bead of sweat rolled down Yura's cheek as she heard it.

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><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

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><p>"What the hell were you thinking, letting them see your youkai like that?" Yura scolded Rikuo in undertone as they all walked on the corridor to the outside because Yura would still bring Kiyotsugu and everyone sightseeing around Kyoto.<p>

"It's not my fault! They suddenly barged in my room when I was conversing with Yoru!" Rikuo defended himself in whisper as well, not wanting the others to hear.

"Then, what's with the story of having an agreement to be his?" Yura sent an evil glare at Yoru who just shrugged and kept walking soundlessly behind Rikuo, expression even and relaxed.

"That's Yoru's fault for creating such ambiguous story like that! _'I'll give myself to you'_ my ass…!" Rikuo gritted his teeth as well, feeling very annoyed and embarrassed at that particular fact. "When and where had I ever said something as shameful as that? I'm not an idiot, that Yoru…!" he was still grumbling and Yoru looked like he was about to laugh hearing it.

Ryuuji observed the teen and the youkai for a moment, seeming thoughtful before he mumbled slowly "I thought Yoru was more in control than this…."

"What?" Rikuo heard that though, so did Yoru who only raised his eyebrows in reaction.

"Well… didn't you feel the same? I meant… when I fought Yoru the last time, he was calmer, more in control… now he seemed a little bit nastier than the last," Ryuuji said seriously.

"You…" Yoru sweated slightly, narrowing his eyes at Ryuuji, looking offended.

"Now that you mentioned it…" Rikuo thought about it as well.

"Rikuo?" Now Yoru turned to his human side in surprise.

"Isn't he always nasty? He kicked me out of a tree to fall in the pond in Nura Gumi Mansion," Yura huffed, seeming to be still holding a grudge about that time.

"Ugh…!" that, Yoru couldn't deny.

Rikuo turned to Yura and apologized, regretting it. "Sorry for not being able to stop Yoru that time…" he said apologetically.

"Ah," Ryuuji suddenly punched his palm, seeming to realize something while Yoru was still muttering that the humans were very rude to him.

"What is it, Ryuuji-niichan?" Yura asked, looking up at her brother with wondering look.

"Maybe Rikuo acted like Yoru's stopper or something," Ryuuji said.

"Stopper?" the three, yes-including Yoru, asked, looking puzzled.

"Youkai are bad, right? But Yoru had Rikuo as a human side that knew what was 'too much', so subconsciously, Yoru 'accepted' what Rikuo regards as 'too much' to be bad for himself. That's why; Yoru was able to stop before he could go too far. But now, since Rikuo was no longer 'there' his subconscious no longer 'accepts' what Rikuo thought was 'too much'. He can go as far as he wants without being afraid of 'hurting' himself," Ryuuji explained.

"Wait… that… sounds a lot like…!" Yura paled slightly as she seemed to catch what the underlying message her brother wanted to tell them.

"No way…!" Rikuo also caught it. But he refused to believe that. There was just no way…!

But the one who seemed to be very shocked about this revelation… was Yoru himself. "You're implying… that I can stray so bad… that I will become very evil someday?"

Ryuuji looked at Yoru with hard stare. "Rest assure, because before you turn into something like that, we, Onmyouji, will seal you away… or exterminate you. Either is totally FINE with us," he said seriously.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the corridor changed. It turned heavier, more sinister. Yoru's fear was flaring slightly at the challenge of the Onmyouji who seemed to feel confident enough that he could take Yoru down.

Rikuo and Yura gulped, faces paling as they stared at the abrupt hostile exchange between Ryuuji and Yoru and Rikuo believed if they didn't do something, Ryuuji or Yoru would start to fight for no reason.

To stop this unexpected development, Rikuo reached at Yoru's hand and then held it, surprising the youkai who blinked at the feel of touch on his. He severed his hostile connection with Ryuuji to look at Rikuo who looked upward at him with a small smile.

"Rikuo…"

"Don't worry, Yoru. I'll be right here. I won't let you go too far and forget yourself, our idealism," the chocolate-black haired boy said, tightening his hold on Yoru's hand and the silver-black haired youkai widened his eyes slightly before softening his expression.

"I'm counting on you, partner," Yoru whispered, holding Rikuo's hand back with a gentle smile as well on his face.

#

Ryuuji seemed to be annoyed at the nice and cute view while Yura was astonished.

"Nura-kun… is amazing…" the Onmyouji girl couldn't help exhaling in amazement.

"What?" Ryuuji looked at his sister in a confused look.

"Well… the hostile aura around that youkai… immediately changes into flowery air when he smiles at Yoru. Even though they are separated and Yoru has a chance to become a 'free' youkai without human's (Rikuo) conscience, I don't think Yoru will want that," Yura said, feeling very sure as she stared at the way Yoru smile at Rikuo.

"I don't think anything can turn Yoru evil… as long as Nura-kun is beside him…"

Ryuuji was silent as he also saw what Yura did. "He seems really happy…" he muttered slightly, seeming to begrudgingly admit that indeed, Yoru couldn't just turn evil if he had that kind of expression at that moment.

Suddenly, an idea entered Yura's mind. "Do you think Nurarihyon can always keep their evil deeds in check because there's always a human beside them?" Yura turned to Ryuuji, looking at her brother wonderingly.

"Who knows…? Maybe," Ryuuji shrugged.

"Yura-chan, let's go!"

Kana's voice and the others surprised her as they reached the front door.

"Yeah!" Yura responded to them immediately before she ran to their direction.

Rikuo and Yoru stayed behind because Rikuo still needed his rest, while Ryuuji said he needed to do something, so he couldn't accompany them.

"So, where do you want to go first?"

Yura set her cheery expression in front of her friends, while wondering if they, humans, were willing to know youkai better before deciding that they were evil and letting the youkai know humans, aside from being their food, could actually become 'friends' and live in co-existence.

_Yes, just like them… the way Yoru and Rikuo live…._

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"So…" Ryuuji, after sending his sister and her friends off to their real summer vacation, now turned to Rikuo. "I need to speak with you, Rikuo-kun," he said with a suspicious smile on his face.<p>

"What?" Rikuo looked upward at Ryuuji and Yoru threw the dark haired boy a suspicious look.

"It's about the previous talk, actually… about making you learn Onmyouji techniques," Ryuuji said again.

"Ah? I already told you that I don't have any desire to do that," Rikuo said, huffing.

"Rikuo, why don't you hear what Ryuuji wants to say first?" Yoru suddenly spoke.

"But, Yoru…!" Rikuo turned to Yoru now, pouting at him cutely and the youkai twitched visibly seeing it.

"Pft—!" Ryuuji covered his mouth not to laugh aloud at the very funny view while Yoru glared at him in annoyance and Rikuo turned to the almost laughing older teen confusedly.

"Jeez, Ryuuji, would you stop teasing them?"

Suddenly someone's voice interrupted their conversation as Akifusa emerged from one of the rooms to the corridor.

"Akifusa-san," Rikuo nodded, greeting him and Akifusa smiled. Yoru raised his eyebrow at the reddish amber eyed man and his expression turned rueful.

"Sorry about Ryuuji," Akifusa said.

"Hn," Yoru huffed and looked away while the platinum blond haired man turned to speak to Rikuo again.

"I wish you'd hear our explanation first before considering your decision about the Onmyouji training, Rikuo-kun," Akifusa said, seeming to try to convince the younger boy with a more polite manner.

Rikuo was troubled. He had decided that he didn't want to undergo the training because doing so could lose the chance to get Yoru back into his body, but… since Akifusa seemed to be insistent… and he had asked so politely like that, Rikuo felt bad to turn it down.

"Well… I think only hearing it won't hurt…" Rikuo agreed then, half-heartedly.

Akifusa's face brightened as he heard his words. "That's great. Now let's get somewhere more private to talk… oh, maybe it's better if we talk with your family present," he said, suggesting with a smile again.

"Okay," Rikuo nodded slightly before he glanced at the silver-black haired youkai who looked suspiciously determined for some reason….

**End of Chapter 6**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>Additional Note:<br>**

*****Taken from the English translation of Japanese song 'Play Ball' sung by Utada Hikaru**  
><strong>

**A/N: **So… does this count as another cliff-hanger? I hope not… or maybe I do *lol* Hmm… this story is getting monotone, don't you think? It's a little dry without any complications… let's create that in the next chapter, shall we? I need ideas… maybe if there's new enemy when Rikuo and Yoru are separated like this…

Okay, that's way too much information I give you. Don't want to ruin the surprise, do we? *grins* So, what do you think of this chapter? Good enough? Entertaining enough? Please do tell me through review because your opinions mean world for an author like me ^_^


	7. Choices

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei**

**Warning: **_slight AU, slight oOC-ness, shounen ai, language, etc…_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) **or **pika318 (ff net)**, thank you very much for your help in beta-ing this!

**A/N: **Kyaaa! Thank you very much for reviewing wonderfully in previous chapter! You are AMAZING readers! Also, thanks for faving and alerting and even if you're only reading! That makes me happy! XD Now, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: <strong>_**Choices**_

* * *

><p><em>No matter what the time <em>

_We'll always be together**_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Tsurara frowned deeply, sitting on the long walkway in front of the cottage where the other youkai were staying.<p>

"What's wrong, Tsurara-chan?" Kejorou, who was sitting beside the black-bluish haired Snow Maiden asked, looking rather concerned at the worried expression Tsurara was showing.

"Honestly… I don't know what to think," Tsurara answered, slightly distraught.

"You're still wondering about Waka's situation, huh?" Kubinashi suddenly joined the conversation, honestly looking troubled as well.

"Kubinashi as well?" Kejorou turned to the blond-black haired neck-less youkai, raising her eyebrow in surprise.

"Not just Kubinashi. Even I'm quite disturbed by this…'curse' ordeal," Kurotabo said while sitting at Tsurara's other side, making a serious expression.

"It's not just that, right? Do you see the way Riku—I mean-, Yoru-sama acts towards and sees Rikuo-sama?" Kubinashi asked, looking slightly pale for some reasons.

"Oh, that was so cute," Kejorou sighed while shaking her head slowly, her cheek turning slightly pink.

"Please… it looks a lot like Yoru-sama has a crush on Rikuo-sama. It's totally disturbing," Kurotabo said, paling slightly as well.

"What?" Tsurara widened her eyes in shock as she heard the others opinion about that matter. "What do you mean Yoru-sama has a thing for Rikuo-sama?" she was actually shrieking such that the other youkai turned, giving their group funny looks.

"Wait, calm down, Tsurara," Kubinashi raised his both hands up, seeming to try to calm her down.

"How can I calm down? If Yoru-sama really… has feelings like that for Rikuo-sama, then that's like… having feelings for himself, right? It's creepy!" Tsurara said again, obviously being unable to accept the fact. She meant, how could that happen?

"Actually… if the fact that Rikuo-sama and Yoru-sama are really different beings in one body is true, it's not that strange if one of them develops feeling for the other… I meant, they're practically living together, right? Yoru-sama knows everything about Rikuo-sama inside and out. He sees everything about Rikuo-sama that he doesn't show anyone else…" Jyami suddenly said, joining in the conversation even though he sat quite some distance away from the other four.

"Jyami…" Kurotabo looked at the long haired youkai who always appeared wet, with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.

"What makes you think it's normal?" Tsurara narrowed her eyes at the newest youkai member of their Nura Gumi ridiculously. Jyami hadn't even known their master for that long!

"Well… the feelings of 'like', 'care' and 'love' are usually planted when two people meet and one of them find something they adore about the other person, and then the feeling is fertilized to grow slowly by knowing about that person more until finally it blooms to become 'true love'. My point is… Yoru-sama has been there, inside Rikuo-sama the whole time. Of course we don't know precisely when Yoru-sama was born, but if the first person who realized his existence as 'Yoru' and not as 'Rikuo' is Rikuo-sama… then Yoru-sama knows Rikuo-sama a lot more than other people he met only when he shows up by borrowing Rikuo-sama's body. So… for Yoru-sama, Rikuo-sama is his whole world," Jyami explained.

For some unfathomable reason, the samurai youkai talked a lot today. Even though he usually was pretty quiet, and always kept his feeling or opinion to himself.

"Jyami… you… why are you so good in explaining something as complicated as that?" Kubinashi couldn't help asking, more beads of sweat also rolling down his cheeks.

"Ah… I can only say that I understand what Yoru-sama is going through right now," Jyami looked at another way, looking suspiciously embarrassed even though his face wasn't visible. His gesture showed the others how he felt after all.

"Ah… well, looking at your history, it's understandable that you understand…" Kejorou said, smiling rather ruefully at the long haired youkai.

They could almost see the blush on the samurai's face as Jyami looked down at his lap.

"No way… what should we do?" Tsurara surprisingly understood about the message that Jyami wanted to deliver through his explanation, but she couldn't just accept it. She couldn't see Yoru and Rikuo as different beings. They were still 'Rikuo-sama' to her after all.

"What should we do…? There's nothing we can do about it, right?"

Nurarihyon's voice suddenly came out of nowhere, surprising the hell out of those five youkai.

"Nu—Nurarihyon-sama!" Everyone in the discussion forum screeched in shock as the first commander showed up just like that, his face looking visibly amused at their funny reactions.

"You guys… gossiping about your masters is your hobby, huh?" Nurarihyon shook his head at his subordinates' antics.

Tsurara and the other blushed in embarrassment, ashamed for being caught in the act. "We're sorry, Shodaisho, but… suddenly having to accept that our Sandaime is actually two people is a bit…" Kurotabo frantically tried to explain, looking completely flustered as well.

"Moreover… the fact that Yoru-sama has feelings for Rikuo-sama…" Kubinashi seemed to try to help the dark haired youkai explaining, his face flushing as well, but looking more concerned rather than embarrassed.

"Also, how should we act around Rikuo-sama and Yoru-sama from now on? I meant… if both are Sandaime, we have to obey their words, right? But what if they insinuate completely different orders from each other… and the orders oppose one another? Which should we obey first?" Tsurara asked, completely worried about it.

Well, Tsurara was more worried if she had to choose between Rikuo and Yoru because she couldn't! Definitely impossible! Both of them were Rikuo, and they were precious to her. She couldn't possibly adore one more than the other!

"Hmm… I don't think you have to fret too much about that," Nurarihyon said, touching his chin with a thoughtful expression.

"Why?" Kejorou asked, tilting her head aside while voicing the others' question and wonder as well.

"Well, like it or not, Yoru was born from Rikuo's 'hope' and 'belief'. So, whatever Yoru does, it will be to make Rikuo 'happy' because that's his true desire," Nurarihyon said. "Whatever happens, only Yoru will never betray Rikuo's expectations. After all, Yoru was born only for one purpose… fulfilling every wish Rikuo has, whether Rikuo and Yoru realize it or not," he continued, explaining more.

"Does that mean… Rikuo-sama actually wishes for Yoru-sama to love him _like that_?" Tsurara was shocked as she concluded that from Nurarihyon's speech.

"Maybe… or he actually wishes that he could love himself better. Rikuo always has that complex; you know… that he's not cut out to be the leader of all youkai because his human blood is stronger. Yoru knows that very well and he shares that feeling. Even though he really wants to be the Sandaime of Nura Gumi… without Rikuo, he won't be able to do that. Yoru always thinks that he's not good enough, not strong enough to be the leader… the family protector, that's why; maybe… maybe if he loves himself a little bit more… maybe if Rikuo is willing to accept and to love him… then he can be stronger. Hence his 'love' towards Rikuo developing…. Does this make sense to you?" Nurarihyon spoke again, all the speculations and guesses he had about his grandsons' situation revealed to his subordinates.

"RIkuo-sama…" Everyone mumbled Rikuo's name attentively, forlornly.

Honestly, Tsurara… -heck, probably everyone- had never thought about the possibility that Rikuo might have low self esteem about himself being a quarter youkai. She always trusted that everyone's care for him were enough to make their master believe that he was absolutely needed in the family.

_Does Rikuo-sama really feel that way about himself, deep down?_—Tsurara couldn't help feeling a little sad at the thought. Even though she loved him this much, it wasn't enough?

"Then… maybe it's a given that Yoru-sama loves Rikuo-sama that way," Kejorou said, nodding understandingly after being silent for a moment.

"But what about Rikuo-sama? From the look on his face, he absolutely has no such intention… I meant…he actually looked uncomfortable when Yoru-sama showed his affection…" Kubinashi spoke again, still looking concerned.

"Yes… is it possible that Rikuo-sama hasn't realized his own feelings?" Kurotabo also asked, seeming to consider the probability.

"Rikuo is innocent by nature. It's inherited from his mother, alright," Nurarihyon snickered at that and the others' sweat dropped in response to his answer.

"But, Nurarihyon-sama… you actually seem very accepting about this," Jyami said, obviously wondering.

"Hah, it's because we're Nurarihyon. We do what we want to do without thinking about the consequences. We live only for today, that's why, why not enjoy it to the fullest?" Nurarihyon grinned cheerily at that. "I don't really care if my grandson is in love with my other grandson as long as they are happy with that choice," he continued, looking so wise and cool that everyone stared at him in total amazement.

"No wonder my mom loved Nurarihyon-sama…" Tsurara mumbled quietly to herself, looking another way so as to hide her blush of adoration towards their first supreme commander.

It seemed she inherited not only her mother's power and nature, but also her feelings. She knew that her mother was in love with Nurarihyon, and she heard the story of how she was very pissed when Nurarihyon took Youhime as his wife. Even though in the end she couldn't do anything about it, still… maybe Tsurara's feeling right now was almost the same as hers at that time.

It was hopeless. No matter whom she chose in the end, both Yoru and Rikuo probably wouldn't choose her. After all, if Yoru was positive that he loved Rikuo, it was only the matter of time until Rikuo fell for Yoru as well.

…

…

Well, at least Tsurara wouldn't have to see Rikuo or Yoru (or both) taking another woman to be their wives. Actually… it might turn into something awesome…

"_Rikuo…" Yoru took Rikuo's hand before he pulled the shorter boy closer to him, leaning closely to his face while gazing at Rikuo's with his enticing crimson eyes._

"_Yoru…" Rikuo lowered his eyelids, making a sexy look while gazing affectionately back at Yoru with his dark-honey colored orbs before their lips connected—_

—and Tsurara almost _literally _melted at the rose colored scene that was playing in her head. Her face blushed so hard she looked like she was on fire.

"Kyaaa! Tsurara-chan, Tsurara-chan! Your body is melting!" Kejorou seemed to notice that her friend had almost died because of her own fantasy, and she shouted in alarm as Tsurara passed out once again because it was just too hot.

It was summer yes, but it was HOTTER than summer.

Yep, really, seriously and absolutely… those two… Yoru and Rikuo… they made such a killing pair even in Tsurara's mind.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"So, what is it about learning Onmyoudou that you want to explain?" Rikuo asked Akifusa as he, followed closely by Yoru behind him, and Ryuuji, walked down another corridor inside the house.<p>

The passage this time was a lot smaller than the other corridors. It was also slightly dimmer in there.

"I'm going to fetch Nurarihyon and the other youkai to hear about this," Ryuuji spoke before he turned at the junction of another passage on the sideline.

"Sure," Akifusa, having not answered Rikuo's question, responded to Ryuuji's words instead.

"Rikuo is asking you," Yoru said, frowning slightly because Akifusa ignored the boy.

"I'm sorry, Rikuo-kun, but it's kind of long explanation, so I prefer that we're seated first before I start speaking about it," Akifusa made an apologetic expression at Rikuo and then at Yoru. "Yoru-san as well… you prefer to hear about it when we're relaxed, right? It won't do any of us good if we're too tired out. Besides, Rikuo-kun is still recovering…" he continued and his excuse did make sense.

"Okay…" Rikuo sighed, shrugging before he decided to stay quiet and let Akifusa lead them to their destination.

They went inside a rather big room, not as big as the dining/meeting room in the Keikain mansion, but it was big enough to contain all the important youkai in Nura Gumi if they really wanted to be present at this talk.

Apparently, Rikuo's party didn't have to wait for too long before the youkai, led by Ryuuji and Nurarihyon beside the dark haired Onmyouji, showed up in the room five minutes later.

"It's not yet four hours from the last time we spoke and you guys already want to speak again?" Nurarihyon sighed deeply as he set a lazy gaze at Ryuuji and Akifusa.

"Well, at least we got rid of those annoying elders," Ryuuji replied sarcastically and Akifusa scolded him for being so rude to them.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to discuss this matter as soon as possible without alerting the family," Akifusa said as he let Nurarihyon sit beside Rikuo and Yoru while the other youkai were murmuring at each other, wondering what was the matter, as they were seated behind their masters.

Ryuuji then took a seat beside Akifusa in front of those youkai. "Okay, I have discussed this matter with Akifusa, and I believe this can kill two birds with one stone," he said, looking confident.

"So… what do you have in mind, young man?" Nurarihyon asked while the other youkai were staring curiously at Ryuuji and Akifusa.

"We believe that Rikuo should really learn Onmyoudo and become an Onmyouji," Ryuuji said again and all the youkai, except Nurarihyon and Yoru (plus Rikuo), gasped at that in shock.

"What?"

"Rikuo-sama becoming an Onmyouji?"

"Why?"

Thus other disbelieving protests and complains could be heard from the youkai, but Nurarihyon and Yoru didn't say anything as Rikuo himself was very itching to protest again. He didn't know why the Onmyojis were insisting. He already told them no!

"Please calm down. There are reasons why this is necessary and important," Akifusa said, trying to silence them so Ryuuji could explain further.

It took several minutes before everyone was quiet again. Then, Ryuuji continued with the explanation. "Firstly, I want to say that learning and Onmyoudo will not lessen the chance of a youkai to possess a body of an Onmyouji. Just look at Akifusa here who was possessed by Minagoroshi Jizou despite being a full fledged Onmyouji," the dark haired high school Onmyouji pointed at Akifusa beside him with his thumb, not even looking at the long-platinum blond haired man.

Akifusa visibly winced for being made as an example. Ryuuji was a sadistic bastard like that, indeed. "It's true. Even Onmyouji has a dark side, so don't worry about being so pure such that Yoru-san won't be able to come back to Rikuo-kun's body even though Rikuo-kun learns Onmyoudou," he said, nodding, supporting Ryuuji's opinion.

"Secondly," Ryuuji continued, not letting anyone asking or questioning the first fact before he had all the facts out in the platter. "I have to remind you guys that Abe no Seimei, or Nue, is also a Hanyo who has mastered all Onmyouji techniques and has youkai power to boost his superiority," he said seriously. "This is a disadvantage that you, all youkai, were weak against Onmyouji Techniques because it can purge you all clean," he continued and everyone gulped at the seriousness of his tone.

Even Rikuo started to reconsider his choice just by hearing the second fact. Ryuuji was right. Nue has both Onmyoudou and youkai power. He was totally superior than all of them combined and he had proved it before.

"Moreover, there is the third fact that both Yoru and Rikuo can't function properly without each other's presence. Yoru will die if he's separated from RIkuo more than twenty feet. As for Rikuo, he has become a human with excessive life energy after Yoru left his body. He will be targeted constantly by youkai that wants his special power. Born as quarter youkai, Rikuo's supernatural power is enormous, he should really learn to control it or it will leak out and he will become definite moving bait for those youkai. Besides, by learning Onmyoudou, Rikuo will be able to protect himself in case he's attacked while he's alone. In addition, it can be a good training for Yoru, since he needs to train to be away from Rikuo for more than twenty feet so he can fight more freely. No offense, but in this condition, Yoru will be useless if he can't even stand by himself when he's away from Rikuo. Also, I heard there's a certain youkai technique that only works when Rikuo and Yoru are together, but in this situation, that technique can't be used, right? Yoru's body and Rikuo's are separated now. You have to compensate that as well with a newer more powerful technique…"

Ryuuji's explanation went on and on, getting longer and confusing, and it was such a hard thing to digest by Rikuo's young mind, but he could pick up the most important things that Ryuuji wanted to tell him.

First, he wouldn't be purified even though he learned Onmyoudou, so it was perfectly okay as long as there was a chance for Yoru to go back inside him. Second, Onmyoudou was necessary to defeat Nue. And thirdly, Rikuo needed something to defend himself when Yoru wasn't around. Rikuo was almost positive that Nenekirimaru would be held by Yoru, so he needed to have something else.

Oh, and also, Yoru needed more practice to stay away from Rikuo to survive….

Learning Onmyoudou seemed to be a nice choice, now. Rikuo wouldn't let Yoru fight by himself after all. If Yoru needed Rikuo to use Matoi, then so be it. Rikuo would train to become stronger for Yoru's sake.

"Understood," Rikuo said, surely, cutting Ryuuji in the middle of his rambling. "I can become stronger by learning Onmyoudo. Also, Yoru can posses me when we use Matoi. We will train together… and I accept the offer. Let me learn to become an Onmyouji," he continued, pretty confident with his choice now.

Akifusa's face brightened tenfold as he heard that. Ryuuji smirked in victory. The youkai widened their eyes in surprise at the choice Rikuo had made and Yoru smiled slightly. Nurarihyon didn't seem to be very happy about it, but he just closed his eyes and sighed.

"Nice choice," Ryuuji said, looking smug. "Then, we can start immediately after your body recovers," he said before he turned to face Yoru. "In the mean time, you'd better train on how to fight while Rikuo is away from you, Yoru," he said, smirking patronizingly.

"Of course… you don't need to tell me that," Yoru replied, narrowing his eyes challengingly at Ryuuji.

"Then, I'll try to fix Nenekirimaru as soon as possible… after my body recovers as well…" Akifusa said, smiling apologetically at the bandages on his body.

Rikuo smiled at Akifusa and Ryuuji. "Thank you… for explaining how important it is to me," he said gratefully.

"No problem. It's for defeating Nue. Everything else doesn't matter as long as we can get rid of that evil-bastard for good," Ryuuji said with a glint of certainty in his eyes. Rikuo's sweat dropped at that.

"Okay, so the conversation is done, right?" Nurarihyon asked and both Ryuuji and Akifusa nodded in unison. "I knew it… you Keikain only want to take in another human resource for the next generation…" he visibly grumbled and Akifusa seemed to be nervous while Ryuuji was looking another way, feigning innocence.

Rikuo laughed slightly in apologetic fashion together with the other youkai who then followed Nurarihyon to get out of the room. Pretty sure that they weren't in everyone's attention anymore, Rikuo glanced at Yoru who looked thoughtful and serious.

"Yoru," Rikuo called the silver-black haired youkai and Yoru blinked slightly before he turned to face him. "We're going to fight together, right? I meant… I won't let you take this responsibility alone. I'm also… the Sandaime of Nura Gumi after all." He then stared at Yoru's eyes surely, hopefully.

Rikuo knew that Yoru wanted him to concentrate on their human aspect and he didn't want Rikuo to get too deep in youkai world, but he was Rikuo. He was Nurarihyon's grandson. He wanted to be useful somehow, even though right now, he was just a human.

Yoru smiled gently as he seemed to see how willful Rikuo was. He reached out his hand to touch Rikuo's cheek and Rikuo didn't even have the will to flinch away because, despite whatever that had happened… and the fact that he knew how Yoru felt about him, Rikuo felt Yoru's cool touch comforting.

Rikuo closed his eyes slightly before opening them again a moment later, seeing Yoru's face behind his normal glasses which had been returned shortly after he woke up this morning, with a new light. Yoru indeed looked very gorgeous and enticing. He couldn't help feeling that… if it was this youkai, he could actually fall for him.

Rikuo blushed at his own thought, and he attempted to pull away before he felt Yoru's other hand on his waist. "Eh?" He looked at how close they were and started panicking slightly. "Um…"

"If it's your wish… anything… everything… I'll make it possible," Yoru whispered softly, still staring so caringly into Rikuo's dark honey colored orbs.

Rikuo blushed slightly at how honest Yoru's look. He was serious about it. "Yoru…" he couldn't help whimpering slightly as he felt Yoru's soft breath on his face, near his lips.

"…because everything of you belongs to me… and everything of me belongs to you," Yoru whispered again, lowering his gaze sexily and Rikuo was about to give up and let Yoru kiss him while closing his eyes when—

_SMACK!_

—a paper fan hit Yoru's head, the hard smacking sound surprising both Rikuo and Yoru, but mostly Rikuo, because he was immediately freed from Yoru's 'gazing spell' and hurriedly pushed the youkai away while covering his mouth, blushing furiously.

A vein popped out on Yoru's throbbing head as he glared at the one responsible for the interruption. It was such a good mood too! "The hell—!" He narrowed his eyes darkly at the dark haired Onmyouji who looked at him in annoyance.

"It's disgusting, so stop it." Ryuuji said evenly.

"Wait a—! Ryuuji!" Akifusa looked at the younger man in horror while the veins increased in number on Yoru's head. He seemed to be very mad and was getting madder by the seconds.

Rikuo was sure that the youkai was ready to burst in fury and would have attacked Ryuuji if Akifusa didn't beat him to it. The kind looking man actually smacked the back of Ryuuji's head, looking mortified.

"Jeez, you are so very rude!" Akifusa looked mad as well, scolding the younger teen hard while Ryuuji groaned in pain nursing his bumped head. "I'm so sorry for what he said. He didn't mean any harm!" the platinum blond haired man then bowed to Yoru, looking very sorry and regretful.

Yoru looked peeved for a moment as he was faced by the very polite Akifusa before he huffed and looked away. "Since someone actually apologized for him…" He seemed to be ready to forgive Ryuuji as well.

Akifusa looked upward at Yoru in grateful look before he turned to Ryuuji again and actually reached out to his head to make him bow as well slightly. "You, say that you are sorry too!" the older man insisted.

Ryuuji clicked his tongue, looking annoyed, but he just sighed deeply and said "Sorry for that."

Yoru and Rikuo blinked in surprise that Ryuuji actually said he was sorry even though it was clearly forced and half-hearted. Akifusa was amazing… he could actually tame Ryuuji!

"But only because Akifusa told me to. I don't and will never regret my action in stopping your disgusting act," Ryuuji added and more veins popped up on Yoru's head again.

"Bastard…!" Yoru growled at Ryuuji angrily and Akifusa sighed deeply again, somehow, looking a bit hopeless at that.

"We're sorry too!" Rikuo said suddenly, interrupting, wanting to end this stupid argument and to quickly get the hell out of that place so he could freak out more freely. He really didn't want anyone to see how close he was to shrieking because damn it! Yoru almost kissed him! And he was about to let Yoru do it without a fight!

_What the hell is wrong with me!_—Rikuo's mind couldn't help screaming in alarm. Seriously, had he gone crazy?

"Rikuo…?" Yoru looked at Rikuo weirdly because his face must have been very weird.

"Hush. Let's just go!" Rikuo cut Yoru even before he was able to comment on how ridiculous Rikuo's look at that moment. He grabbed Yoru's hand before he dragged him away, out o the room. "Excuse us!" he said, excusing themselves before slamming the door shut.

#

In the room, Akifusa and Ryuuji looked at the retreating human boy and youkai dumbly.

Well, it was before Akifusa remembered what had happened and looked at Ryuuji disapprovingly. "Are you really that close-minded about such relationships?" he asked, gaining Ryuuji's attention for a moment.

Akifusa didn't know why, but it made him sad that Ryuuji was so… against it.

"Nope, I was just messing with them. I don't care if they want to fool around or want to love each other for real," Ryuuji grinned slightly at that, surprising Akifusa who somehow felt a slight relief when he heard such positive answer. Well, by Ryuuji's standards anyway.

"What? Why did you try to mess with them?" Akifusa then asked again after catching such weird excuse.

"Because it's interesting," Ryuuji smirked evilly and Akifusa sighed deeply at that.

"You are really a sadist…" Akifusa commented, shaking his head seeing Ryuuji's antics.

"Ah, but you still love me, right?" Ryuuji then turned to face Akifusa who blushed hearing such over-confident remark.

"Wh-what…? Who does…? Ryuuji!" Akifusa was flustered and surprised, might be a little bit shocked because Ryuuji just laughed at him and retreated, looking pretty satisfied and smug for actually making Akfusa losing his cool.

"Jeez… that guy…!" Akifusa was still flushing, his heart beating a mile per minute.

_What… he's only teasing…. I thought he really found out…_—Akifusa thought, covering his mouth slightly with the back of his hand.

Seriously, that Ryuuji… Akifusa should have been more composed in dealing with his younger cousin. He should have known by now that it was Ryuuji's nature to play with words and people's mind. He couldn't read what Ryuuji said too deeply.

Because then… if Ryuuji had caught him with his words, Akifusa wouldn't be able to act as a brother anymore to him… that would be a disaster, right?

"_It's okay to envy Yura because everybody else does. Don't try to pretend that you don't. Not accepting it makes you think about strange things right? It makes you sadder and more pathetic, right? Then try to beat her fair and square! Train more! Get stronger! Catch up to her and challenge her to get that status, Akifusa!"_

Akifusa smiled slightly as he remembered how the younger boy scolded him just after they were treated by the family doctor. Akifusa was very depressed because he let himself be possessed by that youkai.

But then…

"_Are you an idiot? If you're that livid about yourself then do something to make up for it!"_

Ryuuji actually scolded him even though he was younger than Akifusa. But no one had ever done that to him in a long time because he always had to be the grown up amongst the others. Everyone depended on him… so he couldn't make any mistake. That's what he had always thought.

"_Nobody is perfect, you know. You're allowed to make a mistake once in a while. That's what makes you human!"_

Even though what Ryuuji said were just words for Ryuuji, for Akifusa… it pierced something deep down inside him.

"_You're allowed to rely on us too. Just remember that and don't keep everything bolted inside alone! I'm here aren't I?"_

Akifusa still remembered how Ryuuji had hugged him afterwards, letting the older Onmyouji cry on his shoulder. It had moved Akifusa's… touched inside him so deeply he thought his heart would explode.

That's why; Akifusa felt that he could go on living. Yura forgave him*. Ryuuji was there to support him physically and mentally… and that boy… Nura Rikuo. He said he wanted Akifusa, especially, to fix Nenekirimaru for him. It had to be him… he had shown the worth of Akifusa's life.

Right now, Akifusa felt so happy… so happy… thus he convinced Rikuo to take the training to be an Onmyouji. He would do everything to be a help to defeat Nue.

Yes… even though, Akifusa had to rely on his forbidden Onmyoudo technique to use youki as his weapon, he would make sure that he wouldn't be overpowered by the darkness again. There were so many people that loved him after all.

"Okay… maybe I'll learn something from the old scroll to prepare the menu for Rikuo-kun's training," Akifusa said, smiling in total confidence.

It would be okay. Keikain and Nura Gumi would join forces… and it would be possible for human and youkai to live in co-existence, just like what Hidemoto the 13th dreamed about.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p><em>No matter what the time<em>

_Because you're by my side**_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Yura and everyone in the Kiyo Cross Supernatural Investigation Squad walked around Tokyo. She actually brought them to the temples where the battles had taken place. Of course some gruesome images had been cleaned up and removed from the scene so as not to scar the teens' eyes, but the remnants of the battle were still there.<p>

"Whoa~! This is AWESOME! What the hell could make that kind of hole?" Kiyotsugu screeched in total wonder while excitedly taking pictures of the condition of each castle and temple.

"Uwaaah… this looks really bad…" Saori said, looking visibly pale at the sight of the almost demolished castle.

"This will take time to be restored… and this is a National Treasure too…" Yura sighed deeply, very regretful at the fact that a lot of beautiful buildings were destroyed in the war. Luckily, the seals were already up again, so the castles and temples were free from stray Kyoto youkai.

"Um, Yura-chan… there's something I want to ask you…" Kana then suddenly spoke, taking a grasp of Yura's short sleeve.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Ienaga-san?" Yura tilted her head aside at Kana, urging her to say whatever that was in her mind.

"Uhm… I don't really know how to say it, but it's been bugging me for awhile after hearing the commander and Rikuo-kun's story," Kana said, her face looking slightly concerned, but she didn't seem to mind about the situation of the places there were visiting right then.

"What do you have in mind?" Yura asked again.

"You see… from how the Commander talked about the nature of his and Rikuo's relationship, it's pretty clear that he's indeed in love with Rikuo-kun… but, Rikuo-kun endures the treatment because he wants a power to protect us. It's not… fair for him, right?" Kana looked at Yura's with desperate look.

"Ienaga-san…" Yura was slightly perplexed. She didn't know how to react to how bad Kana was reacting to that. After all, that was only a cover story, but she was thinking about it very much.

Yura was in a pinch! She didn't like seeing Kana burdening herself with that kind of lie! But still… she had a duty to protect her as well. Involving her too far in youkai matters wouldn't do her any good.

"This is too much. Why must Rikuo-kun go through something like this alone?" Kana protested, probably still unable to accept that fact.

"Did… did Rikuo-kun say that… he was in pain?" Yura asked, wanting to tell her the truth very much that the Commander and Rikuo were the same person.

Kana frowned deeply at that. "No… but Rikuo-kun is always like that. Since he was a child… huh?" she then blinked once, seeming to remember something.

"What's wrong?" Yura asked, getting curious of Kana's expression.

"Rikuo-kun… isn't always like this," Kana said then, looking thoughtful. "When he was still a child… before he was called a liar because he mentioned that he was a grandson of Nurarihyon—"

Yura visibly winced as she heard it. _What the hell did he say as a kid, that Nura-kun?_—she almost forgot herself and screamed in frustration at Rikuo who wasn't even there. She was also amazed at her friends for being this ridiculously ignorant! Rikuo had confessed that he wasn't human a long time ago… yet they didn't believe him!

_Can't these guys put two and two together? No wonder Rikuo-kun decided to keep them in the dark!_—Yura even felt the slight urge to actually scold them for good. This was just too unbelievable after all.

"—he was such energetic kid… very cheery and active. Well, he's still active in helping people even until now, but at that time Rikuo was more confident with himself in accomplishing a lot of things. But Rikuo-kun now, somehow… he prefers to stay under the radar for some reason. And it happened soon after the bus accident…! Maybe, do you think it's possible that the possession the Commander had done to Rikuo changes his personality? Has Rikuo-kun become such invisible guy because the Commander possessed him?" Kana asked again, looking like she was about to freak out.

"Calm… calm down, Ienaga-san…" Yura tried to reassure the very worried looking young girl nervously. "Let's see… in case of ordinary possession, the personality of the possessed indeed changes drastically, but in the long-term possession (_there's no such thing!_), there's a difference. It applies as a… a limitation for the youkai to use the body because… because he needs to maintain the body in a good shape. The possession Yoru… I meant the Commander had done to Rikuo is the long term possession. It doesn't exactly change his personality because Rikuo 'welcomes' the Commander willingly to possess him… (_I have told another lie! What the hell is this?_)."

A lot of beads of sweats were running down Yura's face and head as she explained another lie to her friend. She didn't know why she lied, but… it shocked her that she was getting better at it.

_I don't want to be a liar! Forgive me, kaasan! Toosan!_—Yura's eyes were spinning slightly as she frantically explained why Rikuo was still Rikuo despite being possessed by the commander.

"So… as for why he became more reserved after the possession… wasn't that because he was traumatized for being called a liar? For a child, it could leave a scar, right? I think Rikuo-kun just didn't want to undergo the same treatment, so… he became quieter?" Yura said, answering using the psychological aspect rather than the truth.

Kana looked visibly shocked at her answer before she turned slightly pale while mumbling "So… it was our fault…"

"Eh?" Yura blinked, looking at the depressed looking Kana who was wandering away, still muttering to herself, with a dumbfounded look.

_Dear deity, what did I say?_—Honestly, Yura was confused. What had she said that Kana turned into a zombie like that so suddenly?

Well, anyway, Yura just had to watch other her friends for awhile while telling them the stories about Kyoto youkai. She then walked to Saori and Natsumi who called her to ask about something and entertained Kiyotsugu and Shima who were over excited about the ordeal.

Then, Yura was just about to bring her friends out of that place to go to the next destination when she suddenly caught a vibe of something very bad and powerful watching them. She jerked in surprise and turned back, looking around while holding a paper of one of her Shikigami.

_What was that… just now…?_—Yura thought in alert, still looking around to catch the glimpse of that energy again. But, she couldn't find any. _Just my imagination…?_

"What's wrong, Yura-chan?" Natsumi asked as she noticed Yura's tense gesture.

"Ah? No… it's nothing," Yura turned to smile at her reassuringly. _Maybe…._ But she couldn't help adding it in her mind. It bothered her, alright, but maybe she was just over cautious after the war. "Let's just go to the next spot!" she said to her friends and they all replied with a union of 'OU!' in full spirit.

#

Over the Nijou castle, just in the air a pair of eyes with jet black pupils surrounded by golden-amethyst irises watched the group of humans passing the street.

"_**What… it's no longer here…"**_a smooth low tenor voice spoke slightly before something very dark and big form was revealed from behind the white clouds. _**"How boring…"**_

There was the hissing sound as the form was gradually disappearing and in the end, it left the sky clear once again…

**End of Chapter 7**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>Additional Notes:<strong>

*****Akifusa refers on the fact that because of him getting possessed by Minagoroshi Jizou, the kekkai set up by everyone is broken and so many family members, including Hidemoto 27th (Akifusa couldn't protect him from Shoukera at that time) died in the war with Hagoromo Gitsune.

******Taken from the English translation of Japanese song 'Hikari', sung by Utada Hikaru.

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait! XD So… the last part of the scene must make you wonder right? It's an introduction to an OC. You can see the preview picture of the character here: charista. deviantart. com/art/The-Giant-Black-Fire-Serpent-HIKURO-29201200 (remove the spaces). Of course there is a particular scene in this chapter that's been drawn down (because I LOVE drawing recently *lol*), and you can totally see it right here: charista. deviantart. com/art/Yoru-x-Rikuo-Everything-of-You-Belong-to-Me-290765910 (again, remove the spaces) if you want to, of course *grins*.

So… what's your opinion about this chapter? Review? *puppy eyes*


	8. Onmyouji Training! The Strongest Shiki

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei.**

**Warning: **_Language, slight AU, shounen ai, oOC-ness, Ryuuji being Ryuuji *lol*, etc…_

**Beta: mittens_220 (JLJ) **or** pika318 (ff net)**, thank you very much for your help, Dear!

**A/N: **Okay… I have neglected this story for almost a month. Sorry for that. I've been really into drawing lately… so much that I can't even resist the temptation to sketch whenever I look at the blank page of my sketchbook. And I almost run out of papers too… I'm going to buy one again soon.

Crap, I'm babbling. Sorry about that. Anyway, there's something important I need you to read in the after note of this chapter! Please read it carefully. Also, thank you very much in advance for helping me and for reading, reviewing, also for faving and alerting this story! Now, enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: <em>Onmyouji Training! The Strongest Shikigami<em>**

* * *

><p><em>I can take all the madness the world has to give <em>

_But I won't last a day without you…*_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you!" Rikuo was fuming, still dragging Yoru with him to go back to their room. "Why did you do that in front of other people?" The chocolate-black haired boy pouted, looking angry, but his angry face was cute anyway, so Yoru didn't mind it much.<p>

"Hmm… so if it's not in front of other people, you're okay with it?" Yoru asked again, smirking slightly in a teasing manner.

Rikuo jumped slightly and turned around, releasing Yoru's hand, looking at him with wide eyes and a very red face. "You—stupid, perverted youkai!" the boy shouted, looking absolutely embarrassed and very pissed. "That's it! I've had enough of this! You're banned from coming into my room! I'm taking a nap!"

Then Rikuo immediately slammed the sliding door shut in Yoru's shocked face.

Yoru's sweat dropped at the overreaction. He didn't expect that Rikuo would get mad to that extent. Well, he was at fault too because he pushed the boy so much. Rikuo was actually a shy person by nature, like their mother, so it wasn't strange if he exploded at some point.

"Hey, Rikuo, you remember that I can't get more than 20 feet away from you, right?" Yoru asked behind the door.

"I don't care!" was the loud reply from inside.

Yoru sighed deeply. It was better not to antagonize Rikuo for now or he'd just get even madder. Maybe leaving Rikuo alone for a moment wouldn't hurt… okay, that would suck and Yoru didn't like not being able to see or to touch Rikuo, but… he had to endure it.

After all, Yoru wanted to prove Ryuuji wrong about him turning evil because he and Rikuo weren't in one body anymore. Surely, Yoru was a selfish creature, but if his selfishness drove Rikuo away, he would have to change that. If he wanted to _have_ Rikuo by his side, he had to learn more self control and patience.

Yoru rested his forehead on the door before he closed his eyes and smiled gently. "Sleep well, Rikuo…" He whispered lightly before he backed off and walked away.

_I guess I'll use the time to train my body to stay more than 20 feet away from Rikuo …_

**#**

"Idiotic, perverted youkai…!" Rikuo grumbled in annoyance as he sat on the tatami, staring at the door for a moment before he looked at his lap. He was very embarrassed, his face still burning crimson.

"_So… if it's not in front of other people, you're okay with it?"_

Rikuo couldn't help remembering what Yoru had asked him, and how happy he looked as he said it. His youkai even had the nerve to tease him like that…! Rikuo's face was getting hotter by the second and he was sure that it was as red as strawberry now.

Rikuo wasn't sure if the embarrassment he was feeling was because of Yoru's teasing, or the fact that what he said had hit a jackpot. After all, Rikuo didn't fight the youkai when he knew he was about to get kissed.

Yoru was lowering Rikuo's defense, bit by bit. Rikuo was aware of that, and yet… he didn't really mind it. Yoru was still himself after all. But… what if it was actually the part of the curse? What if the curse somehow activated an illusion that Yoru _wanted_ him that way?

It just occurred in Rikuo's mind. Yoru had never shown the sign of loving Rikuo like this when they were still in one body. Then… why did he suddenly act this way after they were separated? If the curse somehow affected their feelings as well…!

Rikuo turned slightly pale at the thought. He couldn't play along with that. After all, he didn't know what terrible outcome it could cause. He needed more information… and that's why, he would talk to Kyoukotsu about this before things get too far and too late to return to how it was supposed to be.

Rikuo blinked when he felt the breeze of soft comfortable feelings wash over him, and suddenly, he knew that Yoru somehow thought about him. It felt… like a prayer.

_Sleep well…, have a nice dream… hope we can be together for eternity…_

Rikuo couldn't help smiling softly at the thought. It was… really touching and nice feeling.

Damn, Rikuo was really in trouble now. He started to like Yoru very much and it was only a day after they got separated. This was bad…! If this continued, Rikuo might support Yoru's idea to live separately from now on.

But then, if that really happened… what'd happen to Rikuo's place inside his youkai family?

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Some of the Keikains were passing through the hallway when they noticed something moving along the inside wall of the residence.<p>

"What the—?"

"A youkai?" The younger boys looked slightly worried of why there was a youkai in Keikain House. The oldest of the three immediately shielded the younger ones and pulled out a talisman to protect them from the imminent danger.

Meanwhile, the silver-black haired youkai seemed to notice them and looked at them with his ruby colored eyes. Their eyes met and they kept staring at each other for awhile.

Wait. On second thought, the youkai didn't look dangerous. In fact, it looked like he was in…

His face was flushed slightly in pinkish color, his breath short, fast and shallow. His mouth was slightly opened and the youkai perspired a lot too…. His pale skin was glistening with sweat, making his feature sparkle. Somehow, he looked….

_EROTIC!_—The Onmyouji thought, blushing furiously at the dirty image he conjured out of that look the youkai gave him. His fingers trembled slightly at that.

"_Senpai (1)_?" The younger ones were wondering what had happened to their older member because he made a very strange look so suddenly.

"Ah? No, well… um…" For a moment, he lost the ability to talk. Then he flinched backward when he heard the youkai gasp.

The Onmyouji blushed harder at that. He was so fascinated by the youkai he was supposed to exterminate! What the hell!

"Senpai…?" By this second, the boys behind him got concerned.

"Uh… isn't he kinda… erotic, somehow…?" the oldest asked in a panic.

"What?" The younger ones looked at their senpai as if he had lost his mind.

"B-but, just look at him!" he pointed at the very gorgeous youkai who was panting now and gazed at them as if he couldn't take it anymore.

The other two boys immediately blushed after they saw what their senpai had seen. "T-that's kind of…!"

"Oi, isn't it bad thinking like that about a youkai? Is he a succubus or something?"

Instead of starting the exorcism, they were gossiping while glancing nervously at the youkai who was tempting them with his look.

"What are you doing, crowding here?"

A bored voice of another person was heard out of nowhere so suddenly that the three guys snapped in surprise. They immediately turned around and saw who had greeted them unannounced.

"Pa… Pato-san!" they shouted in unison, very surprised that such higher ups would bother with them.

"What are you guys doing?" Pato repeated evenly, tilting his head aside slightly, seeming trying to see what they guys were ogling and gawking at. "Ah," immediately, he saw it as well.

"Pa-Pato-san! That is… we were…!" They were panicking because they didn't do their duty as Onmyouji properly.

Pato sighed deeply seeing the collective 'deer caught in headlight' expression. "Just… go now. I'll handle this," the 10 year old boy with red hood said, flailing his hand lightly to disband them.

"Ah…! We're sorry!" those guys then briskly walked away, not giving another glance to the youkai or Pato who was casually approaching the silver-black haired demon now.

**#**

Yoru was out of breath. It had been more than ten minutes since he broke the 20 feet rule, and now he felt like passing out that he had to hold onto the wall to give him some leverage. He was unable to activate his Nurari-Kurari technique, and now he was 100 percent sure that the three young Onmyoujis had spotted him.

Well, they started to gossip for some reasons, though.

"What in the world do you think you're doing out here, youkai?"

A shadow of someone shielded Yoru from the bright afternoon sunlight. Yoru blinked and looked upward slightly. "Oh…" He saw a little boy with neck-length black hair. His head was covered by red hood and he looked cheeky.

Well, Yoru knew that boy. He was with Yura and everyone else in the first meeting before. He also remembered that that boy was the one that pointed out that Yoru 'ate' Rikuo's life energy.

"You can't do this, youkai. It's not nice to walk around the Onmyouji residence and to act this lewd around our family members so freely like that," the boy said, looking at him patronizingly.

"Lewd…? What?" Yoru made a face, confused at what the boy was saying. "You're… who is it again?"

"It's Pato! Jeez, why did I even bother with you…?" the Pato kid said, shaking his head and putting his hands on his waist, looking annoyed. He was pouting now.

"Ah… right, Pato," Yoru nodded, still wheezing slightly. He then frowned when he remembered what the boy had said earlier. "Wait, what do you mean by acting lewd?"

"You don't realize it, do you?" Pato said, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. "Ah, whatever, never mind. What are you doing out here anyway? Where's your host?" Pato asked, looking uninterested at all.

"You do know that we have names, don't you?" Yoru protested because the boy kept calling him youkai. He even didn't refer Rikuo as a person, but as a human host! How rude.

"Don't answer my question with another question. What are you doing out here?" Pato didn't seem to want to indulge Yoru in any argument. But the fact that the kid was cheeky didn't change. What kind of parents raised a kid like Pato, he wondered.

No, maybe Pato was raised by Ryuuji. That kind of explained the kid's personality.

"Well?" Pato seemed to be impatient and Yoru wasn't an idiot to antagonize an Onmyouji when he was in a weak state. The youkai sighed deeply at that.

"I'm training my body… to endure being away from Rikuo so I won't be weak if he's not around," Yoru said, huffing slightly as he was getting used to the distance now. If he walked further away, he would definitely suffer the same condition as a few minutes before.

"I see… but it's not working out too well, huh?" Pato snickered at the pathetic state Yoru was in and the youkai narrowed his eyes at the dark haired boy. "Shall I help you with it, youkai?" he offered then, smirking slightly.

"Get lost, kid. What can you do?" Yoru huffed at him and the smirk widened for some reason that it gave Yoru a chill. Suddenly he felt a bad omen.

"Oh, you'll be surprised at what I can do," Pato snickered again before he took out his Shikigami paper. "Now… shall we play, youkai-san?"

Yoru paled slightly seeing that.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Most of the members of Nura Gumi were relaxing in their cottage, some gossiping about the latest development of their Sandaime's problems when there were the sudden loud '<em>BANG!' <em>and _'CRASH!' _also_ 'BAM!'_ sounds from the outside.

They even felt the ground tremble in tune with the explosion.

"What the hell was that!" Kurotabo yelled in shock.

"What is WRONG with this house! Two explosions in a day, really?" Kejorou asked, pretty annoyed.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Kubinashi looked around in confusion.

"It's from outside!" Aotabo said while pointing at the door.

Some smaller youkai then hurriedly opened the door, just in time when something landed in front of the cottage. Everyone immediately widened their eyes in total shock as they made out who had just landed there.

"You little bastard! Do you want to kill me!" Yoru shouted at the kid who brought out 3 of his big monstrous Shikigami.

"What are you saying? I can't hear you!" the red riding hood shouted back, grinning wickedly.

"Asshole!" Yoru dropped on one of his knees while wheezing again.

"Sandaime!" Everyone behind the silver-black haired youkai shouted at the same time, panicking at what just happened.

Yoru turned around slightly and noticed them. "Ah… you guys are here…" He looked at his gawking subordinates while still panting.

"What the—! Are you being attacked?" Kubinashi immediately prepared his strings while the others gasped again, mortified.

"Don't be alarmed. I'm fine. You guys stay out of it," Yoru said, huffing while standing again, taking a deep breath, seeming to pace his breathing.

"But, Yoru-sama! You ARE being attacked!" Tsurara shrieked loudly and the air around her started to freeze.

"Gyaaa! Yuki Onna! Control your power!" Some of the smaller youkai yelled because they were suddenly almost frozen.

"Hyaaaa! Sorry!" Then the Snow Maiden tried to undo her ice frantically.

"Are you sure, Sandaime?" Aotabo and Kurotabo asked Yoru in unison, totally concerned.

"It's… okay. It's my training," Yoru looked back and grinned slightly at them, effectively calming them down.

Then, Yoru faced forward again, looking at Pato with a confident look. "Bring it on, kid," he said as he dashed to the kid and his Shikigami again.

"What in the world is Sandaime thinking? He can't even breathe normally!" Karasu Tengu screeched, totally freaking out.

"He said it was his training…" Jyami mumbled quietly while observing how Yoru dodged the attacks of the Shikigami. He looked troubled, but he was trying his hardest there. "Maybe he's impatient to get stronger even without Rikuo-sama around…" he continued and his words earned everyone's attention.

"You think so?" Kubinashi asked Jyami then, still a little bit skeptical. He thought Yoru was just being reckless again.

"Yes, well… the Shikigami aren't attacking Yoru-sama seriously. They always barely miss him. Yoru-sama is dodging only the collateral blast," Jyami analyzed the attacks carefully with his ability as a former samurai, and he instantly knew that it was just a friendly match.

"But… what's the purpose of the training if the attacks aren't serious?" Kuroabo asked now, totally confused.

"Well… I'm not sure about it…" Jyami also didn't know the reason. After all, who could guess what was in Yoru or that Onmyouji's head?

**#**

"You—! You almost hit me back there!" Yoru pointed at Pato angrily at the yard.

"Moron. There'd be no use if you weren't seriously dodging. But the extreme situation really does bring your potential out, right? You can breathe normally now, can't you? Your movement is better too, almost like the real Nurarihyon," Pato grinned happily.

"Ah…" Yoru seemed to just realize about that. "Hey! I _am _a Nurarihyon, you little devil!" he protested at the remark now.

Pato giggled slightly. "Now, shall we continue?" He asked then, winking at the youkai and Yoru smirked back in challenge.

"What the—! PATO!"

Suddenly, a loud horror scream came out of nowhere, surprising the boy and Yoru. Pato looked around and found a distressed looking Akifusa gaping at him.

"Ah," Pato had the decency to look sheepish as the older Onmyouji ran to him and Yoru.

"What are you doing, bringing 3 of your strongest Shiki out! You even attacked Yoru-kun with them! Didn't we tell you that he's an important guest!" Now Akifusa seriously scolded the boy. He looked very angry and mortified at the same time.

"Ah… I'm…" Pato felt bad so suddenly. He had made the usually patient Akifusa angry.

"Now, get rid of the Shiki and get down here!" Akifusa huffed at the boy after that.

Pato immediately called back all his Shiki and jumped down, now standing fidgeting in front of Akifusa, looking self-conscious.

"It's okay, Akifusa," Yoru said, tapping Akifusa' shoulder casually to calm the amber eyed man down.

"Ah, Yoru-kun…. Are you okay? I'm sorry that Pato was being naughty! He usually never does anything like this to our important guests!" Akifusa frantically said, looking sorry while bowing slightly.

"That's why… it's okay. He was just helping me," Yoru said, smiling slightly.

"Eh?" Akifusa looked upward, seeming to be surprised and confused.

"Why don't you explain the purpose of your attacks, kid?" Yoru smirked and Pato narrowed his eyes at the youkai.

"My name is Pato! Keikain Pato! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me a kid?" the red hooded boy pouted disagreeably and Yoru chuckled. "Well…" he then looked at Akifusa hesitantly. "I just thought, you know… since Yoru had a hard time to bring out his power if he didn't get used to 'exist' in this world without his host, why not try to put him under an extreme life-threatening situation to force his ability to come forward? I meant, in a situation like that, a rat can turn into a lion, right? So I thought it might work…" he explained, fiddling with the hem of his long sleeves.

"Pato…" Akifusa looked at the boy with a proud expression. "So… you were just trying to help? I'm sorry I got mad at you without knowing your intentions…" He then smiled and ruffled the boy's hair under the hood.

Pato looked up at Akifusa and smiled childishly at him, looking very happy for being praised.

"See? You _are_ a kid," Yoru laughed slightly at the cute sight.

"S-shut up!" Pato blushed at that, looking embarrassed and annoyed. Akifusa chuckled slightly, still ruffling the boy's head lovingly. The kid flushed even redder. "Uh… are we continuing the training or not?" he then asked Yoru after Akifusa was done fawning over him.

"Of course, you're willing to help, kid?" Yoru asked.

"It's PATO! And I'm not that much younger than you, so quit calling me kid already!" Pato yelled at the youkai in irritation now while they were resuming the extreme training.

**#**

Meanwhile, Rikuo who heard the ruckus from his room tried to peek out from the window. He immediately saw how Yoru dealt with the kid from Keikain, and he was kind of surprised seeing them get along very well, while Akifusa was watching them in amusement from the sideline.

"That's… new," Rikuo mumbled, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek as he saw Yoru laugh while teasing the red hooded kid.

Rikuo didn't expect that Yoru would be totally fine without him. It kind of annoyed him a little. He looked away and huffed. "Why am I getting mad for no reason?" He didn't understand what he felt anymore.

Really, he shouldn't stay still doing nothing when Yoru had begun to do something with his time. Rikuo should do some training immediately as well after this.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>The next morning, Rikuo spoke out his request to Akifusa after they had done the breakfast.<p>

"Eh? You want to do the Onmyouji training now?" the platinum blond haired Onmyouji asked, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. "Are you sure? The real Onmyouji training is very hard, you know. You have to prepare your physical and mental strength before you can do it. Also… you need to undergo a purification ceremony and it has to be done with pure water at a pure spot," he explained.

"Eeh?" Rikuo didn't expect that. "I can't become an Onmyouji only by casting spells or something?" he asked, looking hopeful.

"No, you can't," was Akifusa's final answer. He looked kind of mad even though he was smiling. Well, it was Rikuo's fault for underestimating Onmyouji training though.

"Uh… if I can't do the real training yet, at least… isn't there guide or something for spells or anything that doesn't involve physical exertion? Maybe meditating or that kind of stuffs?" Rikuo asked again while smiling ruefully now.

"There are records for spells that have been practiced until now. I can escort you to our record room if you want to take a look at the basic spells or such," Akifusa said, nodding approvingly.

"That's great! I can't let Yoru do all the work. I have to do something as well!" Rikuo was excited to start his practice for the spells now.

"Come with me," Akifusa stood from his seat before he then led Rikuo to the back of the house and opened an old looking door, letting Rikuo in. The room was a little too dark, so the thoughtful Onmyouji lit a candle.

Rikuo blinked in surprised at the stacks of papers, books, scrolls and any kind of hard copy of files filling the entire room. They barely could walk around inside the room because the paths were covered by those records.

"Um… which is the basic spells book?" Rikuo asked slightly, a big bead of sweat dropping from the back of his head as he saw the enormous amount of papers.

"Hmm? These are the basic spells," Akifusa said with an amused look, and Rikuo almost snapped his neck as he turned to Akifusa, widening his eyes, totally shocked.

"What?" Now, the human Sandaime gawked, hanging his jaw with open mouth.

"Like I said, this room is for keeping the records for all the basic spells. We have another room for more sophisticated spells…"

Rikuo had toned out Akifusa's explanation by now while his eyes were spinning seeing the HUGE pile of books and papers inside the room. And they were filled with only BASIC spells. He didn't want to imagine how much spells were contained in the rooms for the intermediate and the high level spells.

Rikuo sighed deeply, feeling already defeated even before he even started. "Forget about it," he mumbled slightly, earning Akifusa's attention. The platinum blond haired man immediately stopped his rambling, to turn to face the younger boy.

"Eh?" Akifusa tilted his head, looking confused.

"It's just simply… impossible," Rikuo muttered, downcast. "My brain would explode if I had to read all of them!" and then he cried pitifully and comically, not sure if he wanted to make Akifusa pity him or laugh at him because even for himself, Rikuo sounded and must have looked kind of pathetic.

"Ah… haha," Akifusa looked troubled at Rikuo's imminent surrender. "We can start with something easy first, Rikuo-kun. They didn't build Rome in a day, you know," he ruffled Rikuo's soft chocolate hair kindly, seeming trying to encourage him.

"But we don't have years to do it as well, Akifusa-san… Nue will come back in a year, maybe less… I don't want to be a burden for Yoru and my family…! I have to get stronger and it has to be fast…! Or at least, I want to be able to protect myself… so everyone can focus on their fight without worrying about my safety…" Rikuo was dejected now. He looked at the floor and felt how small he was. He became more and more discouraged about his condition. He really needed to get Yoru back inside him.

Rikuo couldn't do this alone.

"Rikuo-kun…" Akifusa looked worried when he saw how down Rikuo was. Then he seemed to be thinking for a moment before he snapped. "I know!" he suddenly shouted.

"Eh?" Rikuo looked upward at the taller man in surprise.

"This method maybe a little bit radical, but… are you confident in being able to control your life energy, Rikuo-kun?" Akifusa asked, looking strangely hopeful.

"Huh?" Now Rikuo tilted his head aside, totally perplexed.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p><em>You touch me with the love you're bringing <em>

_I can't really lose when you're near*_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"Eh…?" Ryuuji looked at Akifusa as if he had grown a second head.<p>

"Like I said, we should train Rikuo-kun to use his excessive life energy to 'call' Shikigami. Even without a proper incantation, the 'pure' energy alone is enough to draw many spirits to him, right? Imagine how many Shikigami he can use at one time with that," Akifusa said, looking pretty excited.

Ryuuji was bored at the idea. It was too plain for someone for Rikuo's caliber. "Actually, I got a better idea," he said then, smirking slightly.

"What is it?" Akifusa asked.

"Let's get Rikuo-kun to try to call Hikuro," Ryuuji said, very amused at this idea.

"Eh?" Akifusa widened his eyes for a moment before "EEEEEEH!" he screeched loudly, seeming to be very surprised. In fact, his voice was so loud that Ryuuji had to cover his ears to protect his eardrums.

"You don't have to be so shocked about it," Ryuuji grumbled, nursing his abused ears, sweat dropping from the back of his head.

"B-but…! Hikuro is…!" Akifusa looked slightly mortified.

"Right… let's see if Rikuo is able to tame him. After all… _he_ was the only Shikigami amongst the strongest 13 that refused to be Abe no Seimei's Guardian God," Ryuuji snickered slightly at that.

"Still…! Ryuuji… that Shikigami is… too strong… and too frightening for a mere human to posses! No one has been able to get Hikuro to agree to be their Shiki. He's also the only one from the strongest 13 that was exiled because he committed a taboo! What chance does a boy as inexperienced as Rikuo-kun have to actually tame him?" Akifusa protested again, looking very worried and against the idea.

"Maybe he has no chance at all, but who knows? Maybe Rikuo-kun is the only one who has a chance to do that. We won't know if he doesn't try, right?" Ryuuji shrugged, but his smirk intact on his face.

This was a bet. Ryuuji knew Rikuo's chance to actually succeed was very low. Also, the risk was great. If Rikuo's luck was really bad, he could get killed in the process, but… a bet without risk wouldn't be interesting, right?

"Ryuuji… there are a LOT of maybes in your speech. You aren't suggesting this because you're thinking that this is amusing, right?" Akifusa narrowed his eyes at the younger man, sounding a little bit accusing and skeptical.

"No way… I know the limit of joking around, Akifusa. This isn't for my own amusement even though the outcome will be undeniably interesting," Ryuuji smiled nicely at Akifusa, but Akifusa's expression seemed to be more suspecting rather than relieved. Ryuuji had to add something to ease the older man's mind.

"I'm pretty confident that Rikuo-kun can actually do it. After all, he's a special boy, right?" Ryuuji said again, setting a sure and certain face that Akifusa softened his look.

"Yeah… he's pretty special," Akifusa admitted, closing his eyes and looking happy at that.

Ryuuji was kind of pissed seeing how spellbound his brother was to the quarter youkai… or (now) the human side of the Sandaime of Nura Clan. Honestly, Ryuuji couldn't see what was good about him, but… he had to admit that Yoru and Rikuo were strong, and they couldn't win against Nue without them.

Now, if Ryuuji won the bet against fate, they would get a new power. Hikuro's destructive black fire… Ryuuji was certain that Hikuro could fight on par with Nue himself.

But, if Ryuuji lost… well, at least one strong youkai would get exterminated. Even though it would get troublesome later….

"Don't worry, Akifusa. We'll prepare Rikuo-kun as well, so he will know what he's supposed to do in any situation," Ryuuji said again, reaching out and draping his hand casually on Akifusa's arm, pulling the older but shorter man closer to him.

"Eh?" Akifusa looked upward at Ryuuji, seeming to be surprised before he looked away, flushing slightly.

Ryuuji blinked at that reaction. "Huh?" he couldn't help tilting his head aside, a little confused.

"Um… I-, I'll tell Rikuo-kun then," Akifusa said, frantically releasing himself from Ryuuji before hurriedly fleeing from the room.

Ryuuji couldn't help widening his eyes even more at Akifusa's shy look. "Huuuh?"

_W-what kind of expression was that? Does this mean Akifusa has seriously fallen for that quarter youkai?_—Ryuuji's mind couldn't help shrieking in alarm at this.

This was totally ridiculous. Akifusa couldn't fall for a guy like Rikuo or Yoru! For once, both were too young for Akifusa! And two… who would want his brother to end up with a quarter demon, for deity's sake!

Ryuuji was fuming. He would do anything to disturb Akifusa and Yoru or Rikuo's time together. Much better, he would support the youkai to _have_ his human so both of them would be too occupied with each other to actually notice Akifusa's feelings for them!

"Fufufu… now, shall we prepare to call The Giant Black Fire Serpent, Hikuro?" Ryuuji smirked wickedly. Maybe getting Rikuo burned once wouldn't hurt at all after all.

**~Yoru x Rikuo~**

Yura spit out her cold juice drink unceremoniously as she heard the news from Akifusa when she was having a relaxing time speaking with Rikuo and their human friends.

"Eww! Yura-chan?" Saori looked at Yura with a disgusted look while Natsumi and Kana immediately tried to clean the mess Yura had made.

"Sorry…" Yura wiped the dripping liquid from her mouth and chin. "Come again, Akifusa-nii?"

"It's decided that Ryuuji and I will train Rikuo to prepare him before he calls The Giant Black Fire Serpent, Hikuro," Akifusa said, repeating his words and making them clearer.

Yura was paling with every word Akifusa spoke. "Are you serious?" she asked, sweating profoundly.

"We are," Akifusa nodded surely.

Yura looked at the amber eyed man in disbelief. "That is… insane." She commented.

"I know… but there's a chance that this might work, Ryuuji said so," Akifusa sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

"Umm…" Rikuo raised his hand slowly, earning Yura and Akifusa's attention. "What… are you talking about? Mind telling me as well? Because I'm pretty sure that this conversation is about me… or involves me, somehow?" he said rather timidly.

Yura looked at Rikuo worriedly for a few seconds before she sighed as well. "Yeah, well… it does concern you…" she said, massaging her throbbing temples. She didn't know that this would turn out this way after all.

"What is it? What is it?" the other humans in the room who caught their conversation asked as well, looking pretty excited to hear the story.

"Ah, my brothers and I will train Nura-kun self defense to fight against youkai," Yura smiled at her friends apologetically. Again, she had to lie, but it was for the best, so….

"Ooh!" Kiyotsugu and everyone seemed amazed. "That's it! So, Nura-kun can always protect himself if the Commander wants to attack him!" the dark haired boy said, clenching his fist in full spirit.

"That's awesome, right, Kiyotsugu-kun?" Shima also looked extra energized and happy.

"Thank god…! Now we don't have to worry over Rikuo-kun's chastity!" Natsumi, Kana and Saori did a high five cheerily.

"I told you that wouldn't happen…" Rikuo said, big beads of sweat rolling down his head and cheeks. Yura couldn't help laughing awkwardly at Rikuo's defeated sigh and expression.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p><em>It's nice to know that you'll be there… <em>

_if I need you…*_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Yoru dropped his sandwich as Rikuo told him about the plan.<p>

"You're… going to call a Shikigami?" the crimson eyed youkai asked, looking slightly disturbed.

"Yes," Rikuo nodded.

Yoru seemed to have something to say about it, but he just closed his eyes and looked away. "Okay," he said slowly.

"This Shiki is supposed to be a very strong Shikigami. I heard he's one of the Strongest 13 Guardian Gods," Rikuo smiled slight. "I can't wait to meeting it in person. Akifusa-san said it's a black fire serpent. It must be cool!" Rikuo said animatedly, very happy, that finally he had made some progress.

Even though Rikuo still had to wait for a moment because there were preparations to be made, he was very excited to do this. He looked at Yoru happily, but for some reason, Yoru didn't look thrilled at all. "What?" he asked then, because Yoru was very quiet so suddenly.

"Are you sure you want to call a Shiki?" Yoru asked then, looking at Rikuo gravely.

"Well, yes. It will be like… having another youkai join our Hyakki Yako, right?" Rikuo exclaimed, grinning then, very positive about this.

"Did Akifusa recommend this method?" Yoru asked again, seeming to be suspicious about something.

"Yeah, but Ryuuji recommended the Shiki that should be called. He thought I'd be able to withstand his power somehow… because the excessive life energy that I possess since you're not inside me anymore," Rikuo fiddled with his sleeve now, looking down feeling shy so suddenly.

Rikuo didn't know that Ryuuji thought very highly of him, but if he let Rikuo try it, then he probably did.

Yoru seemed to be thoughtful for a moment before "Rikuo…" he was about to say something when there was suddenly a knock on the door of the cottage, effectively cutting his words.

"Ah, they're here. Coming!" Rikuo immediately stood up and ran to the door before opening it and found Ryuuji, Yura and Akifusa outside.

"Let's go. We have to move to a certain spot before you can call Hikuro," Yura informed.

"Okay," Rikuo nodded surely. However, before he could step outside, someone grabbed his arm and held him in place.

Rikuo looked upward, a little behind to find Yoru there. "I'm coming too," the silver-black haired youkai said, looking totally serious.

Ryuuji blinked at him. "Are you sure? The spot we will visit is a pure spot. A youkai won't be able to enter the place without being 'cleansed' or 'injured'." The Onmyouji explained.

"I don't care," Yoru said.

"Yoru?" Rikuo looked at the youkai concernedly.

"I won't let Rikuo get through this alone," Yoru said again. "Besides, if anything happen to Rikuo, I'll die as well, right? There's no point separating me from him now," he smirked at Ryuuji.

"Well, let him come with us," Yura said then, huffing slightly.

"Ryuuji can cover Yoru-san with Gengen so he won't be burned by the purified ground," Akifusa suggested while smiling.

Yoru's face brightened and Ryuuji clicked his tongue, seeming to mind it. "Why do I have to protect youkai of all things?"

The black haired Onmyouji grumbled continuously, while Rikuo was laughing awkwardly when the four of them were on the way to the spot where Rikuo could start a ritual to call Hikuro….

**End of Chapter 8**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>Additional Notes:<strong>

*****Taken from the English Song 'I Won't Last a Day Without You' sung by Utada Hikaru (also featuring Shiina Ringo)

**1)** _**Senpai:**_ how to call an older person in academic field.

**A/N: **Ugh… I haven't been able to bring up Hikuro at all… words-limit… TT_TT. Even though I want to… very much… that's why there's a little background story about Hikuro there. Ryuuji, you devious, sly boy…! What are you planning? *lol* Well, I actually put off the idea of talking with Kyoukotsu to bring this first. But there will be times when Rikuo has to find her as well… later. So what do you think? Interesting enough? Review, readers! Because your reviews are what making this story continue~ XDDD

**Oh yeah, also… there's news about new stories I want to work on starting July 2012, in my profile. Please visit it and VOTE for the story you think will be most interesting to write first. The snippets are at the bottom of the profile, to help you decide. **Thank you.

Now, I'm working on the covers of the 'soon to be made new fics', as well. **"Nura's Coven" Cover** is DONE. Now I'm in the process of coloring the **"Cross of Faith" Cover**, before I'll work on the **"A Wish** **Worth of a Lifetime" Cover**. If you want to see it, just visit my LJ (**www. lunaryu. livejournal. com/**) or my Deviantart (**www. charista. deviantart. com/**). Enjoy~! XD


	9. Hikuro, the Giant Black Fire Serpent

**Disclaimer: Nuramago belongs to Shiibashi-sensei**

**Warning: **_AU, shounen ai, language, etc…_

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) or pika318 (ff net), **as always, thank you very much for beta-ing this chapter as well!

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait. I was kinda freaking out these couples of days. As for the reason, it's in the after note. Also, I want to clarify something. So please read the additional note after the story.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: <em>Hikuro, the Giant Black Fire Serpent<em>**

* * *

><p>Yura, Ryuuji, Rikuo and Yoru were walking together on a small soil path into the depths of the forest atop Mount Hiei.<p>

"Are we going to visit _Enryaku-ji_ (1) first?" Rikuo asked Ryuuji as the dark haired man read the scroll in his hand. He seemed to be thoughtful while reading.

"Huh?" Ryuuji blinked slightly before he turned to face Rikuo. "What?" It seemed he hadn't heard what Rikuo had asked before.

"Yes, Nura-kun, we will visit Enryaku-ji first." Yura took the liberty to answer for her brother, sighing slightly.

_Then why are we using this animal path? Isn't there an easier way to get there?_—Rikuo wondered inwardly, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.

"We need to ask if the shield can be deactivated before we go further. It was mentioned in the legend that the place we are about to visit is protected with a very strong barrier that prevents both humans and youkai from entering it," Yura said again, pulling her bag up her back slightly.

"Even humans?" Yoru, seeming to be perfectly okay with the ridiculous trip to the mountain, raised his eyebrow at that, looking puzzled somehow.

"Yes," now Ryuuji answered, closed the scroll and put it back in his pocket. "Originally, the barrier was set up to keep something inside the barrier, not to keep something out. However, it's no joke if people or youkai that enter the barrier can't get out again right? So another barrier was added on top of the original one to keep everything else out as well," he explained.

"Huh? Who would want to make a barrier only to keep something in?" Rikuo frowned, very puzzled at that.

…

"For your information, the barrier wasn't even set up by humans," Ryuuji said slowly.

"But, it was necessary precaution, considering the one who was sealed inside…" Yura added, mumbling.

"You meant Hikuro?" Rikuo asked, guessing.

"You could say that," Ryuuji shrugged slightly, almost indifferently, such that Rikuo couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"I can't help wondering…" Yoru spoke suddenly, seeming to voice Rikuo's doubt. "You said this guy… Hikuro, would be Rikuo's Shikigami, right? Then why is he sealed in such a remote place like this with two layers of barriers? As if he wasn't supposed to be approached in the first place… or _worse_," he continued, narrowing his ruby eyes at the back of Yura and Ryuuji's head.

Yura visibly flinched at that but Ryuuji didn't even twitch. Rikuo huffed seeing their suspicious reaction. He knew it wouldn't be so simple. Ryuuji suddenly suggesting to him to call a Shiki… even though according to the record this Shiki was able to resist Nue, there had to be a catch somewhere.

"Akifusa-san mentioned about the taboo this Shiki committed. Is that why he was exiled and sealed like this?" Rikuo asked now, putting two and two together after hearing Akifusa's partial explanation before, and seeing this fact.

Ryuuji muttered something about 'big mouth' and he looked slightly annoyed somehow. A big bead of sweat dropped from the back of Yura's head before she sighed deeply again, seeming to be giving up.

"Yes, Hikuro was said to have done something a Shikigami shouldn't," Yura said slowly, looking hesitant.

"What did he do?" Rikuo asked again, getting even more curious when Yura seemed not too inclined to explain further.

"What had he done?" Yoru repeated the question, sounding more demanding.

The silence stretched a little longer than both Yoru and Rikuo's liking. It seemed the Shiki Rikuo was about to call was not an ordinary Shikigami. He sounded like bad news, already.

"You know, Nura-kun, maybe we should hurry up to the temple. We will continue this conversation later, where there are plenty places to sit down." Yura said and she made the point across by looking at Rikuo rather desperately. "Or else, you'd fall to the ground since you would lose all strength in your legs after hearing it."

Both Rikuo and Yoru gulped slightly at that. Well, it seemed like Rikuo was wrong. Hikuro wasn't bad news. He was worse than bad news.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>The four teenagers arrived at the Enryaku-ji approximately four hours after the hike started.<p>

"Huh…, we arrived faster than I expected…" Rikuo murmured in a low voice as they saw the big temple in front of him.

"The animal path isn't just a difficult unusual path, huh? It must have been a path that was specially made for people like the Onmyouji… You've heard that Enryaku-ji is the base for the Marathon Monk, right?" Yoru heard Rikuo's mumble and responded to him with an amused smirk.

"Eh, really?" Rikuo didn't seem to have any recollection of that matter.

"No way, you forgot? It's in Japanese History class, Rikuo," Yoru snickered, looking at Rikuo teasingly.

"Shut up. It isn't like everything the teacher told me about the history is true…" Rikuo huffed slightly, pouting. "I wonder why you remember something as trivial as that…."

"I guess… it's necessary to pick up things that have something to do with youkai world… especially if I want to become the Master of All Spirits like Jiji," Yoru smirked again, feeling a bit proud that almost all the necessary knowledge Rikuo had gotten were stuck in his memory.

"Hey," Ryuuji suddenly spoke to Rikuo and Yoru. Both Nura Gumi Sandaime turned to face him in surprise. "Yura and I are going to meet the head of the temple to ask a few things."

"Should we come along?" Rikuo asked.

"No, wait here. I'm not sure about bringing a youkai like him on to the sacred ground. He could be destroyed in an instant," Ryuuji said with a patronizing smirk while glancing at Yoru.

"So rude!" Yoru exclaimed, rather annoyed while Rikuo was trying to calm him down.

"We will establish a connection first before you can meet the Head of the temple. That way he will know that you are not a threat," Yura said, backing up her brother's words.

"Oh, okay then," Rikuo agreed to wait, but Yoru couldn't help but still feel annoyed because of the discrimination and the way Ryuuji spoke to him earlier.

"Seriously… and we had already entered all the old temples in Kyoto while battling Hagoromo…" Yoru muttered slightly while huffing.

"Well, at least we'll get more explanations about Hikuro soon enough without having to fight for it," Rikuo shrugged.

"As usual, you can stay so calm even though you're being underestimated…" Yoru shook his head at Rikuo's calm personality. He didn't know how his other half does that… staying ridiculously positive despite everything.

Well, it was Rikuo's trait from the start. That's why he was the 'day'. He lured people with a false sense of security before Yoru struck at night. Looking it that way, weren't they a pair of ultimate opposite powers that would be unstoppable as long as they worked together?

"Hey, Yoru… do you think I can tame this Shiki?" Rikuo asked suddenly, looking slightly worried for some reason.

"What, you don't believe that you can tame him?" Yoru asked back, raising his eyebrows. What was his other half asking at a time like this? Wasn't he confident that he could do it?

"I know I can… it's just… somehow, I don't have your confidence inside me anymore… it's a little bit unnerving and I can't help feeling rather nervous…" Rikuo looked down, seeming to be depressed so suddenly.

Yoru widened his ruby eyes hearing that. He was surprised at how true Rikuo's words were. After all, Yoru was the one who always encouraged Rikuo from the inside that he was capable of doing anything he wanted if he believed he could.

The silver-black haired youkai then moved closer to Rikuo before he suddenly enveloped the chocolate-black haired, glasses wearing boy in a soft warm hug. Rikuo seemed to be startled by the sudden gesture, but he only looked upward to Yoru who returned his look with a gentle gaze.

"Yoru…?" Rikuo mumbled, perplexed.

"It's okay… you can do it," Yoru said, giving Rikuo a small nice smile that seemed to amaze the shorter boy as he widened his eyes seeing it. "You are Nura Rikuo, Sandaime of Nura Gumi. Nothing will stand in your way. You know that, right?"

Yoru reached his hand to cup Rikuo's cheek, bringing the boy's gaze to focus on his enticing crimson pools even more and he could feel that Rikuo's tense shoulders relax slightly. He was pleased that his touch was comforting to the smaller teen.

Seeing such dazed expressions in Rikuo's face made Yoru want to tease the boy a little. He leaned closer to the boy's lips, intending to give that kiss which was interrupted so rudely by Ryuuji the day before. Rikuo didn't seem to mind, or more like… he didn't realize what Yoru was about to do until his lips were a centimeter away from the kiss.

Though, for some reason, Yoru felt a chill running down his spine before he could carry out the act, so he tightened his hug on Rikuo's body and rushed forward, with the boy still in his arms, to avoid whatever trying to collide with his head, just now.

Well, Yoru had the feeling it was almost the same as yesterday, so he smirked as he glanced behind him, at whom a very pissed Ryuuji with a big paper fan on his hand glared at him in annoyance.

"I won't fall for the same trick a second time," Yoru's smirk widened as he stared mockingly at the dark haired Onmyouji who fumed because his attack was avoided.

Yura narrowed her eyes at Yoru. "Jeez, we can't let you be alone for a second, can we?" she muttered while approaching Rikuo who was still silent, looking slightly surprised as she spoke to him. "You okay, Nura-kun?"

"Eh?" Rikuo looked upward to her, his face slightly flushing. "Um… yeah, perfectly okay!" he said with a wide smile in a panicked manner, but didn't seem to be faking it.

Well, the encouragement project was a success. Yoru smiled fondly at seeing Rikuo's rather embarrassed form before the boy turned to face him again. "What is it?" Yoru asked, ruffling Rikuo's soft hair.

"Thank you," Rikuo said with a very cute smile such that Yoru's heart skipped a beat seeing it.

Now Yoru was the one who was fighting that urge to blush. _Damn Rikuo for being so adorable!_

Yoru still didn't understand why they were separated, but maybe it was a chance that he was always yearning for… a chance to love Rikuo more freely without having to endure fear of 'no future' hanging beside it.

Maybe… maybe Yoru really didn't want to break this curse for eternity so long as he could stay by Rikuo's side to love him as his most important person in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"So… this is the rumored Nura Clan's Supreme Commander…" the Head Monk stared at Yoru with awe as he met the youkai for the first time. "I've heard about your scheme since I was a child. You seem very wild just like the story…"<p>

"I'm sorry, but you must have been mistaken. That wasn't me," Yoru denied all the accusation seriously.

"Oh, and you can lie very straightforwardly as well! You seem to live for your name, Nurarihyon," the Head Monk looked cheery as he said it.

A big bead of sweat broke out of Yoru's cheek while the others were trying so hard not to laugh at his expense. He glanced at them with an annoyed glare, even to Rikuo was looking the other way with a trembling body due to laughter.

"I told you you've got it wrong. That's my Jiji you're talking about," Yoru frowned at the Head Monk, but the bald old man didn't seem to want to correct his assumption so he just sighed and let it be. He wasn't in the mood to be arguing with anyone.

After meaningless chit-chat for a moment, they went into the details of the issue. "We can deactivate the barrier for a moment. According to the record, Hikuro seems to be a quiet Shikigami when he isn't angry. He is the most dangerous when he is enraged because he tends to lose sight of what he's destroying. Moreover, unlike the other twelve of the strongest Shiki, Hikuro is the only one who can appear in this realm without using his master's energy. Also, he's too strong to be handled by humans, so no one has been able to tame him since he emerged into the strongest 13 Guardian Gods. Also… there's an issue of his exile…" the Head Monk explained on and on until that particular part where Rikuo raised his hand.

"Excuse me, may I ask what Hikuro did to earn him a punishment of being sealed and exiled?" Rikuo asked earnestly and the Head Monk went quiet for a moment.

"I guess…" He glanced at Ryuuji and Yura who nodded carefully at the silent question whether it was okay to tell them that.

"There are three absolute taboos that a Shikigami must not do for whatever reason. One, Shikigami must not kill humans. As nasty as a human can be, Shikigami aren't allowed to kill him unless they turn into youkai.

"Two, Shikigami must not fall in love with humans. Until now, no one knows for sure for what reason this second taboo exists, but it's considered a great sin to fall in love with humans for them. There are a few speculations, but I'm not going to say it because there's no proof that they're true.

"Last, Shikigami must not defy their master's words no matter how absurd the order is. It will earn them an instant death if the contract is broken. Shikigami put his life on the line when they make a contract with humans. That's why they are given a chance to pick their own master.

"Unlike youkai servants, Shikigami can judge their soon to be masters. If they pass, the Shikigami will follow them for the rest of their lives, if not… some will just let them go, but some can be so dangerous that their power might kill their own master."

"Wait," Yoru interrupted. "But then they will break the first taboo," he said.

"No, the killing humans in the first taboo only works if the Shikigami have the 'intention of killing' when they unleash their power. There are some Shikigami that can kill ordinary humans with just their presence alone. Collateral damage like that isn't counted as killing even though their power is the main cause," the Head Monk explained.

"I see…" Rikuo put his hand on his chin, seeming thoughtful.

"This is a bit more dangerous than I thought…" Yoru mumbled, sweating slightly.

"Moreover," Ryuuji suddenly spoke. "The Strongest 13 are different from the other Shikigami. Their powers are so monstrous that they can be on par with strong deities like The Great Dragon of Fujiyama, Ryuujin-sama. Well, Ryuujin-sama is ten to hundred times stronger than them, though… but the amount of power possessed by Strongest 13 is only the second to Him."

"And," Yura spoke as well, "Hikuro is said to be the strongest Shikigami even among the Strongest 13. His destructive power is so overwhelming that even Abe no Seimei, the strongest Onmyouji in Heian Period, was unable to tame him."

"Shit… the more we hear about him, the scarier he sounds…" Yoru smirked heatedly at the challenge of this Hikuro guy. "Are you serious you want to own this guy by yourself, Rikuo?" he then glanced at the boy who didn't seem to be fazed hearing all of that.

"My question hasn't been answered yet," Rikuo said, not even bothering listening to the explanation about the Strongest 13 or Hikuro. "What did he do such that he was exiled and sealed?" he repeated.

"Oh… what a focused young man you are…" the Head Monk seemed to be impressed by the concentration Rikuo showed him. "Very well… you seem to be qualified enough to challenge Hikuro to own him. As for the taboo that he broke once, you should ask him after you gain his trust and respect to be his owner," he said again with a nice smile.

"Basically… no one actually knows what he did, huh?" Rikuo was thoughtful again. "There's a 1/3 chance then… if the answer is wrong then we're finished…" he mumbled again seriously.

"What are you planning, Rikuo?" Yoru asked again, looking at his other half curiously.

"Don't worry, Yoru… I have my own way," Rikuo looked extraordinarily confident that Yoru couldn't help feeling amazed at that. He smiled confidently in response as well, totally believing in his other half.

"Then we will lead you to the portal where he is sealed," the Head Monk stood up slowly, followed by the others.

"There's a portal?" Yoru raised his eyebrows at that.

"Ooh? You want to go into the forest once again to walk there on foot?" Ryuuji snickered.

"I'll choose the portal," Rikuo said instantly with a certain sparkle in his eyes.

Yoru looked at Rikuo, sweat dropping. "Well, it's better to conserve some energy," he said while sighing. The others' faces faulted seeing it.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>The five people then went inside the temple, deep into its underground path.<p>

"Why is there a portal to where Hikuro is sealed?" Rikuo couldn't help asking then.

"The barrier that was set to keep Hikuro in is a special barrier. Unlike the usual barrier in the human world, this barrier crosses the human realm and spirit realm. The actual place where Hikuro is held is in the spirit realm, but the barrier can be accessed through the human realm. Believe it or not, the barrier is right here, where we stand," the Head Monk said.

"Eh?" both Rikuo and Yoru widened their eyes in surprise at that.

"That's true. This Enryaku-ji is the barrier of where Hikuro is sealed," Ryuuji nodded.

"You could have informed us earlier," Yoru protested at the older teen.

"You didn't ask," Ryuuji grinned.

"He did that on purpose," Yura sighed deeply at the childish prank his brother did. Rikuo just laughed nervously.

"Here's the barrier. Can you feel it?" The Head Monk stopped suddenly, right in the middle of the stairs and both Yoru and Rikuo tensed when they felt it… the heat, on the surface of their hands.

"What… is this…?" Rikuo stroked his skin. It was very warm, despite the cold air in underground path.

"That's _Hikuro's 'kuro honoo'_ (2). Sounds poetic, meaningful and rhymes too, don't you think?" the Head Monk laughed slightly at that.

"Was that something to laugh about?" Yoru asked, slightly baffled.

"Well, the power does live to his _name_," Rikuo chuckled.

"Don't think it's just his name. Hikuro's 'black fire' is special. Look down on it then you'll be a goner," Ryuuji actually did sound a little alarmed at this.

"Is the black fire really dangerous?" Rikuo asked Yura then.

"I only read it from the records, but… Hikuro's black fire is meant to destroy. It's very destructive and unlike the usual fire, the heat can increase infinitely until the object that it burns leaves no trace, not even debris. Basically… if you're caught in Hikuro's fire, then your physical existence is removed from this world completely," she explained.

…

…

"Maybe you want to reconsider…" the Head Monk began, but Rikuo shook his head.

"Let me in," Rikuo said surely.

"I'll go with you," Yoru said.

"You can't. This is as far as everyone can go as an escort. Only the challenger is allowed to enter," Yura pulled the back of Yoru's Yukata.

"Eeh?" Yoru made a face at her. "Then what if something happens inside? I can't rescue Rikuo if I'm not beside him!" he protested.

"Calm down, Yoru," Rikuo pulled Yoru's hand slightly. "It will be alright. You said that I can do this, or… you don't trust me?" he looked at Yoru's ruby eyes so intensely such that Yoru went quiet at the look.

"I trust you," was Yoru's final answer when Rikuo smiled and released his hand.

"Just wait for me, okay? I'm not going to risk your life too after all," Rikuo said cheerily before he waved and entered the barrier.

Rikuo's form disappeared from everyone's sight.

"Good luck…" Ryuuji said, looking at the spot with a smirk before Yoru grabbed his collar and glared at him.

"What are you planning with this, Ryuuji?" Yoru hissed at the young Onmyouji threateningly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryuuji responded calmly.

"As if I could trust your words!"

"Yoru!" Yura pulled the youkai back. "We all know that my brother is planning something, but he won't send anyone to his death for no reason! If it means that we can have a chance to defeat our mutual enemy… then it should be worth it!" she shouted.

"You're kidding, right? Rikuo is more important than defeating Nue!" Yoru shouted back in retaliation, arguing heatedly.

…

…

"Crap…" Yura covered her face at that and Yoru stared at her in confusion.

"As I thought… you are the liability in this connection," Ryuuji looked pissed as he narrowed his eyes at Yoru.

"What?" Yoru looked up at Ryuuji now, getting perplexed.

"Don't give me that crap about that boy more important than defeating Nue! His resolution as a Sandaime is much tougher and stronger than yours, youkai! You are unworthy of being that boy's 'other half' at all! I misjudged you!" Ryuuji yelled at him before huffing and turning around to leave.

…

"What the hell was that about?" Yoru was very baffled now. What was wrong with Ryuuji?

"You know, Yoru… you should think over what you said. Both you and Nura-kun are actually the same being. Prioritizing Nura-kun... is the same as prioritizing yourself," Yura explained with disapproval on her expression as well.

"Aaah? That's not what I meant!" Yoru denied.

"I know that, but it sounds that way to both Ryuuji-niichan and me," Yura countered. "Nura-kun accepted immediately that he might stand no chance taming Hikuro alone, but he said he had you and he believed as long as you were with him, he would be able to. Not even once he mentioned that he was afraid to lose you to something else because he knows… deep down, you'll be with him even if he doesn't make it. That resolution… aside from his overwhelming life energy is the thing that makes Ryuuji-niichan believe he stands a chance, but you obviously prioritize Nura-kun above anything else… above the possibility that he (and you) can make it," she continued.

"Ah…" Yoru widened his eyes at that and then he looked down on his feet. He seemed to have realized his mistake.

The Head Monk sighed deeply seeing the teens. "Let's pray that he can make it, the boy…" he said with a small understanding smile.

"I'll be waiting here," Yoru said as The Head Monk and Yura decided to leave the place and to leave the youkai alone to think and to wait for his other half to return.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Rikuo felt the sudden overwhelming heat as he entered the barrier. "Ugh!" It was almost like being burned alive… or stuck in the oven that might explode any moment.<p>

"_Remember to use your life energy to cover you so as not to get crushed by the spiritual power around you."_

Rikuo remembered Akifusa's warning and he immediately released some of the energy to protect his physical body. He believed that he hadn't been in spirit realm yet, but the leaking power alone was already hard to contain.

"As expected from the strongest of the Strongest 13," Rikuo smiled nervously. "But I'm not going to lose. I'm going to greet you, Hikuro… and of course, to befriend you," he said, convincing himself once again that he could do this.

As Rikuo moved forward, further and further inside the barrier, he closed his eyes to concentrate the amount of his life energy used to protect him. Then, when he entered the spirit realm, he felt a lot more pressure of the spirit particles. The density had changed and he needed more life energy to contain his physical body.

Rikuo reached the second barrier not long after that; the barrier that contained the monstrous energy of Hikuro's 'black fire' since almost a thousand years ago.

"_When you're about to face the black fire directly, boost your life energy for a moment to make sure you create a path for you to walk forward. Never touch the fire without the protection of your life energy." _

"Okay… it's now or never…" Rikuo took a deep breath before he released it slowly. He closed his eyes before he opened them hard while walking inside the second barrier, at the same moment, boosting his life energy to maximum levels and unleashing it around, visibly creating a straight path in the middle of black fire hell.

"Haha…" Rikuo was sweating slightly. "This is… Hikuro's prison…"

Rikuo couldn't help feeling amazed at the view. Everything was covered in black fire, burning creating darkness. It didn't seem better than dealing with Nue.

Rikuo went into alert when he felt the massive fear coming to his direction. _It's here?_

Suddenly in front of him two… no… five giant black snakes appeared out of nowhere.

_Gieeeeh! Five of them? Wait! Hikuro is five giant black snakes?_—Rikuo was sweating more profoundly and it had nothing to do with the heat.

"_Human…"_

"_It's human…"_

"_What is a human doing here…?"_

"_He's here for Master…?"_

For some reasons, the hissings of those giant snakes which length were probably more than 30 feet and diameter were more than six feet sounded like words in Rikuo's ears, so they might really have spoken.

"_Don't be ridiculous. He's just a kid. He'll die instantly the moment Master is summoned."_

That actually hurt Rikuo's pride a little bit, though he couldn't say he had that when Yoru wasn't around him.

But… it appeared to Rikuo that those five giant snakes weren't Hikuro. Then… they might have been Hikuro's servant. _Uh… a Shikigami that has servants… how high and mighty…—_Rikuo sweated nervously again as he thought about it.

"Um… I actually… want to see Hikuro," Rikuo spoke suddenly, seeming to surprise the five snakes. "Ah, nice to see you, I'm Nura Rikuo," he then bowed slightly in respect and the other snakes immediately bowed back in panic.

"_Oh no! What have we done to our guest?"_

"_We're sorry, Master Rikuo. We didn't know that you're here for Master Hikuro."_

"_But… Master Hikuro doesn't really like meeting strangers, so we suggest that you leave immediately because you seem to be a good person."_

"_We don't want you to get overwhelmed by our Master's presence and perish because of that."_

"_Please reconsider your intention and turn around."_

The five snakes actually spoke to Rikuo very politely, but somehow, it annoyed Rikuo that they thought he was so weak.

"Don't worry about that. I just want to see Hikuro and speak to him a little," Rikuo smiled nicely at them though and those identical black giant snakes glanced at one another with worry in their black-red eyes.

Those snakes seemed to speak through their minds before they nodded in unison. _"Very well,"_ one of the snakes said. _"We can escort you to our Master's sleeping ground. Ah… but you need to call upon him so he can recognize you as his challenger since he's sleeping at this moment."_

"_Yes… Master tends to ignore something that is inferior to him after all. You have to make an impression for him to notice you."_

_He sounds like a jerk!_—Rikuo's sweat dropped again.

"Okay," he said, willing to just do that so as to get Hikuro's attention.

Rikuo walked together surrounded by the five giant snakes that he couldn't look around, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get to where Hikuo was so he could try his approach to get Hikuro to fight on his side.

"_We're here,"_ one of the snakes said suddenly and the one at the front moved aside so Rikuo could see what was in front of him.

Rikuo almost choke at his own spit at the view. In front of him, in the middle of the blazing black fire was a humongous black snake. Its size was absolutely GIGANTIC, three to five times bigger and larger than the five giant snakes… and they were HUGE already.

_This is… the Giant Black Fire Serpent, Hikuro!_

**End of Chapter 9**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>Additional Notes:<strong>

**1)**_**Enryaku-ji**_**:** a name of one of the temples in Kyoto, located atop of mount Hiei and is said to be the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan and the base of the Marathon Monk (from Wiki).

**2)**_**Kuro Honoo**_**: **'black fire'. Hikuro's name is written with the Kanji **'Hi'** for 'fire' and **'Kuro'** for black.

**About Hikuro: **_Some people actually asked me if Hikuro is actually Touda, the Hell Serpent from Yami no Matsuei, the answer is a no. Of course, there are similar characteristics like Hikuro has the same 'black fire' as Touda does, and they both have 'black hair', also they are both serpents, but no. Hikuro is an original character I created for this story only (his real form and his personality are very different from Touda, as well as his eye color and his clothes). Besides, Hikuro has never been owned by anyone, while Touda has been in Tsuzuki's care for a long time. There is no Touda in this universe. I'm not sure if Touda is a real Shikigami or if he's a Yami Ei original character created by Matsushita-sensei to enhance the plot of her Yami Ei, but Seiryuu, Suzaku, Genbu and Byakko are already very famous since a long time ago (they are the sacred creatures that represent 4 wind directions from Chinese legend originally), so they can't be replaced. I hope this explanation helps somehow. Thank you for asking question._

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait, guys~! Well… I actually wanted to update since last week, but… uh… I got hooked on another anime-manga titled 'Kuroko no Basket'. I'm… kinda in love with that anime-manga at this moment, so… my heads are filled with the plot to make fanfic for them already.

NOOO! This is disaster! Just when I'm about to get married! I'm BUSY! I can't have my attention distracted from the big day! GOD I'm freaking out here! It hadn't settled in me that I might have to leave this hobby of mine after I get married… and get busy with all the family things… just when yesterday I went to the ceremonial hall… and it dawned on me after I left that place… that I'm going to get married for real…! I will spend my life with another person for the rest of my life… and we will share everything we have together…!

Oh, my god…! OMG! Can I really do this? Aaaah! I'm so anxious! I want to run awaaaaay!

*coughs* Sorry, guys… I've been really distracted lately. It will take me a longer time to settle down because seriously, I'm freaking out. Even when I'm writing this, I'm FREAKING OUT! Please don't mind me. I'm just ranting.

Anyway, please tell me what you think about this chapter through review, kay? Bye! See you in next chapter!


	10. New Ally or New Enemy?

**Disclaimer: Nuramago and its characters belong to Shiibashi-sensei, except the plot of this fic and Hikuro, my OC.**

**Warning: **_none… maybe hints of shounen ai, AU, and language._

**Beta: mittens_220 (LJ) **or** pika318 (ff net). **Thank you very much for the help!**  
><strong>

**A/N: **I'm sorry for being absent from this story for so long. My wedding happened, that's why ^_^. Now I'm in the brink of happiness and not even the massive stories deleting and authors banning by admin that's happening in this site can ruin my day~! Well, thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapters… ah, and if I get banned from this site, you can always go to my journal because I'm trying to post most of my stories there too. Fear not of losing me, readers.

Also, remember that there is a black day for ff net at June 23th. Don't visit the site during that day. We're (fellow authors) trying to make our point to admin that we take our stories seriously. Oh, and I possibly will move my account from here to AO3 and LJ, so you can't expect me to update regularly in this site anymore. FF net is being too much of a hassle lately, so I'm tired of dealing with it ^_^;

Now, please enjoy the new chapter of this story! XD

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: <em>New Ally or New Enemy?<em>**

* * *

><p>Rikuo gulped slightly as he was slightly overwhelmed by the size of the sleeping black creature in front of him. It was the first time he saw such humongous creature after all. Moreover, he was sleeping while surrounded by the black fire, which was very-very hot, by the way, like it was nothing.<p>

Well, it was Hikuro's power, so it wasn't that strange, but…

Still, the glasses wearing chocolate haired boy shook his head slightly and convinced himself that it was normal for a Shikigami at Hikuro's level. After hearing the explanation about Hikuro and the rumors regarding his power from the head monk, Rikuo thought that Hikuro might be able to match Nue in power. It was such a one in a lifetime opportunity to get a new ally as strong as him on their side to aid them in defeating Abe no Seimei.

Rikuo nodded surely, believing that he was doing the right thing. There was only one chance… his probability of succeeding this task was very low, but if he considered Hikuro's feelings, if he could use the 'freeing the prisoner' scenario nicely, he should be able to pull this off.

"_Go on, Rikuo-sama, please summon our master to wake him up,"_ one of the five snakes around Rikuo urged and Rikuo nodded.

"Okay…" Rikuo took a deep breath while closing his eyes, remembering Akifusa's explanation regarding how to call a shikigami.

"_Concentrate your life energy on the tip of your tongue. Remember, a shikigami is a guardian, you don't simply order them around. You pray to them to help you."_

"You, the Guardian God that exist to protect us, please open your awareness and hear our prayer. Appear before me… _Hikuro_."

"_The name is very important for the guardian gods, so you must intensify the use of the life energy as you call the name rightly and directly. If your power is enough, he should be able to hear you and will respond to you the moment his name is called."_

Rikuo opened his eyes and gave his all in calling Hikuro's name.

The realm went quiet for a few seconds before Hikuro's humongous body twitched, his eyes opened slightly after that, revealing a pair of the triple colored eyes, black pupils surrounded by golden ring and amethyst irises.

Hikuro's head jerked upward and Rikuo would have gotten hit by the blow of black fire that the gigantic snake produced in his wake had he had not immediately hid himself behind one of the smaller snakes, and Hikuro seemed to be surprised as he looked around slightly. "Huh," a low tenor voice boomed in the realm. "I heard a voice… someone is summoning me?" he seemed to be rather confused at that.

"_Ah… Hikuro-sama, down here,"_ one of the snakes notified.

Hikuro looked down at the snake and Rikuo stepped out while looking upward at him. "Uh… hi," the chocolate haired boy smiled awkwardly at the gigantic black snake.

Hikuro blinked once, his colorful big eyes met Rikuo's unsure gaze. The snake seemed to be dumbfounded before he said "How small."

A vein popped on Rikuo's head at that involuntary insult. He immediately said "Well, sorry for being short, but it has nothing to do with the fact that I called you," while narrowing his eyes slightly, deadpanned.

"You… called me?" there was a brief silence before the snake started to laugh, his big tail swaying and slamming the ground repeatedly. "You? Really? A small creature… a mere human like you, calling me? Are you serious?" the laughter didn't seem like it was going to stop soon.

Really, Hikuro wasn't like what Rikuo expected at all. After all, his impression of Hikuro when he heard the story was that he was unapproachable and scary; on top of that he was a jerk. But so far, Hikuro seemed to be rather pleasant to talk to. He even laughed, even though it was at Rikuo's expense.

Well, Rikuo didn't mind getting laughed at by Hikuro, but he needed to speak out his intention soon, but how could he if Hikuro didn't want to stop laughing?

"Ah… it's been awhile since I laughed like that…! That's a good way to start a new boring day," Hikuro still chuckled for a moment before he looked down again at Rikuo.

"Are you finished laughing?" Rikuo asked, not intending to act carefully anymore because Hikuro appeared to be a sensible creature.

"You're still here," Hikuro chuckled again. "Strange human…" he leaned his very big head closer to Rikuo and the boy could see his big shiny scales and those things that looked like fins on each side of Hikuro's head. "You smell different from other humans as well… and you can bear my presence without breaking a sweat."

"_Master, Rikuo-sama here really summoned you,"_ one of the snakes seemed to be trying to help by informing Hikuro of the truth.

"Eh, no way! Really?" Hikuro widened his eyes slightly, seeming to be surprised. "So odd, I'm sure he's just a little human. How can he call me without even getting overwhelmed by this realm and my black fire?" he asked, tilting his head aside slightly in confusion, hissing slowly as he showed his double black colored tongue, seeming to try to read Rikuo's power better.

"I simply have power to resist the degenerating effects that black fire can cause and possess enough life energy to be in your presence without perishing," Rikuo said, saving the gigantic snake a lot of trouble from checking him using that creepy split tongue.

"I see… it seems you're not just a mere human," Hikuro pulled his head back and looked down at Rikuo once again curiously. "So… what is 'a special human' like you doing here?" he asked again, smiling lazily.

"I only have one intention," Rikuo said, getting to the point because he didn't think beating around the bush would work on Hikuro. He seemed to be the type that wouldn't be swayed by sweet words, and he was arrogant enough to look down on creatures that didn't meet his strength.

_In that case then, being forward probably is the best way to get Hikuro's attention and approval._

"I come here to set you free, Hikuro. I want to be your friend!" Rikuo said, staring at Hikuro's triple colored eyes directly with every will power conveyed in there to show his seriousness.

Hikuro blinked again, so did his five snake-servants. There was a pregnant silence in the realm before, _"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?"_ the five snake-servants shouted, widening their black eyes in total surprise. Hikuro seemed about to drop his jaw at the 'unexpected' exclamation from the human boy.

"_W-wait a second, Rikuo-sama! What are you saying? Aren't you here to challenge Hikuro-sama to master him?" _one of the snakes raised the question and the other four nodded frantically, big beads of sweat prickling out their scales. Hikuro was still speechless as he looked at the human with such surprised look.

"Eh? Hadn't I told you guys earlier that I only wanted to speak to Hikuro? I have no intention to master him or anything like that from the beginning. I _don't need_ Hikuro as a shikigami after all. I need him as an ally," Rikuo said, smiling charmingly at the five snakes that they dropped their jaws in total shock, more beads of sweat rolling down their scales.

Hikuro seemed to be unable to say anything because of the shock. It seemed that _this_ was the first time he was faced with such request by a mere little human. He didn't seem to know how to react properly.

"You are… such a weird human," when finally Hikuro was able to say something, he repeated what he said about Rikuo some moments before.

A bead of sweat rolled down Rikuo's cheek. "Is that your favorite word? Strange, weird, odd and the like?" he couldn't help asking.

"Well, aren't you a weird one?" Hikuro asked again. "That's the most ridiculous intention on meeting me, human. Don't you know who I am?" he asked then, seeming to be slightly bewildered by the unpredictability Rikuo had showed him.

"I know you… well, not in person because that's what I'm going to do after befriending you, but there are a lot of rumors, mostly bad though, about you, outside this 'prison'. I think it will be very cool if I have a friend like you, Hikuro. That's why I'm here. Please, be my friend!" Rikuo said cheerily with sparkling smile that seemed to blind the black fire around Hikuro and his servants.

"Are you an idiot? If you have heard so much about me, then you must be a moron for still seeking me out! Those bad rumors about me are mostly true, you know. There's a reason why I was sealed in the first place. Aren't you afraid for your life at all?" Hikuro asked, looking slightly frantic as well for that moment (though, it was hard to notice with that humongous snake body).

Rikuo blinked at seeing that and he chuckled slightly. "Well, your power is top class; of course it's scary at first. But… now that I know that you seem to be worried about me, Hikuro, I'm not afraid of you, not at all. Hikuro seems to be a nice creature," he smiled softly at Hikuro now before he moved closer to the gigantic snake. "Moreover… I'm strong enough to touch you without getting burned," he added, looking upward at Hkuro while touching Hikuro's scale tenderly, adding extra life energy on his palm to tell the snake that he was strong enough to accept Hikuro's power.

Hikuro seemed to be able to feel the monstrous amount of life energy surrounding the boy who smiled at him so harmlessly and gullibly, totally convinced that there was nothing dangerous and nothing to be afraid of about Hikuro.

Hikuro's black fire leaked out of his body and the heat intensified for a moment, as if it was trying to protect Hikuro, but Rikuo noticed that it wasn't a defense mechanism at all. It was just the way Hikuro seemed to be trying to hide his blush because the snake made such a funny face before the black fire engulfed his body.

The five snake-servants dropped their jaws for the second time as they witnessed such absurd view in front of them and Rikuo grinned while making V-sign at them. It was his win. He succeeded in charming Hikuro. He believed he would be able to convince the Giant Black Snake to go with him, to be his ally for real.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"Hey, Niichan… do you think Rikuo-kun is still alive now?" Yura asked her brother as she sipped the tea from her cup while both she and Ryuuji sat at the low table inside one of the rooms the Enryaku-ji Temple provided them.<p>

"Who knows? Just keep praying that he isn't being burned to crisp right now," Ryuuji said while concentrating on his scroll.

Yura looked at her sometimes sadistic brother with a bead of sweat running down her cheek. "You weren't serious about your words just now… right?" she asked nervously.

Truthfully, Yura also didn't think that trying to bother Hikuro was a good idea. There was a reason why he was sealed after all. Moreover, if the legend was true, the ones who sealed Hikuro were the other twelve Guardian Gods who deemed that he deserved to be sealed. Although Hikuro was the strongest amongst the strongest 13, facing 12 other Guardian Gods must have overwhelmed him….

"What are you talking about, my foolish little sister?" Ryuuji sighed, seeming to be unable to concentrate anymore on his reading. He turned to face his sister, frowning slightly.

"You are playing dumb. It's very suspicious. Despite what I said to Nura-kun, I don't really trust your reasoning about mastering Hikuro either. Are you really sure that it will turn out to be the better? We already have Nue to deal with, if Hikuro turns on us too…!" Yura was worried about that.

Ryuuji's frown deepened. "Sure, Hikuro was dangerous, but there's also a reason why the 12 Guardian Gods who served Seimei sealed him," he said, looking back to the scroll before smirking slightly. "Don't you want to know why Seimei took the trouble to command all his strongest shikigami to seal him?" he continued, looking like he was plotting something devious again.

"Ryuuji-niichan… you…! You're gambling with Rikuo-kun's life for something like curiosity?" Yura stared at her brother disbelievingly.

"If you think it's a ridiculous reason, then you still don't know me very well, dear sister," Ryuuji huffed. "You don't understand at all…" he said, turning to face the window now, his look faraway for some reason.

"Don't understand what?" Yura asked again, getting confused now.

"I have a theory about Hikuro's exile… and if the theory is right, he will definitely be useful on our side," Ryuuji said again, sounding slightly confident.

However, the worry in Ryuuji's eyes didn't escape Yura's observation. Despite the lack of concern about Rikuo in his tone and in expression, his eyes were somewhat honest. There was no way that Ryuuji would do something so risky like this without concern.

"Then, at least you should have shared that theory with Nura-kun, right?" Yura asked, feeling that maybe Ryuuji wasn't as heartless as he looked and sounded.

Ryuuji was silent for a moment before saying "I forgot to tell him that," with a bead of sweat dropping from his head.

Yura thumped her forehead on the table in response. _He's a sadist after all!_—she felt like she had just been duped again by her brother's sly nature.

"Ah, well… if he's as smart as he's supposed to be, it will be fine," Ryuuji shrugged and Yura wanted to at least hit him on the head for being so uncaring. But she would hate it if her brother decided to get revenge on her after that, so she just huffed and ignored him then.

"At least I know that Nura-kun is very smart," Yura said, hiding her face with her arms on the table.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"So… how about you accept my proposition, Hikuro?" Rikuo smiled again at the Giant Black Fire, looking very excited and happy, and so damn convincing.<p>

_What's with this human?—_Hikuro was silent now, observing Rikuo's look and features carefully.

The black snake didn't understand this strange human. He didn't want to master Hikuro, but wanted him to be his friend in return. What was the point? He was just a little human, but why did he possess such enormous life energy? If Rikuo wanted to use that energy to take the 'test' from Hikuro, the guardian god was kind of sure that he could pass it… to be Hikuro's master.

"Tell me, human," Hikuro decided to ignore Rikuo's proposition for now and asked first. However, before he could ask what he wanted to know, Rikuo interrupted him.

"It's Rikuo," the chocolate haired glasses wearing boy said suddenly.

"Huh?" Hikuro blinked, getting distracted.

"Call me Rikuo," Rikuo repeated and Hikuro huffed. It seemed the boy didn't like being called 'human'.

"Okay, Rikuo… why do you want to befriend me instead of mastering me?" Hikuro asked evenly, still looking down at the boy.

"Hmm… how should I say it? That's just not my style, I guess," Rikuo said, scratching his head while smiling sheepishly. "I'm used to having so many youkai fussing over me even though I don't really want it, but… I realize that human and youkai can have a relationship as normal friends. Not just the master and the servant or the hunter and the hunted. By opening communication, we're able to build a connection just like between humans or between youkai. So… instead of mastering Hikuro, I think it will be better to have Hikuro as a friend… because that way, we can be equal," he explained, smiling so gently at the giant black snake.

Odd. Hikuro also didn't detect any indication of deception in Rikuo's face and voice. He looked so honest right then. Even though most human usually lie to get what they want… how could this boy seem to be so sincere?

Hikuro needed to make sure that the boy was telling the truth, so he decided to use a trick question. "Really, human, Rikuo," he amended slightly as he noticed how Rikuo's face fell as he didn't use his name. "What's your actual intention?"

Hikuro pretended as though he knew that Rikuo was lying to him, and apparently he had hit the jackpot when he noticed the boy flinch visibly. He narrowed his eyes at the boy. See, just like what he thought, human couldn't be trusted that easily. Their words were often only words after all.

"Ah, sheesh…" Rikuo sighed deeply while scratching the back of his head. "This is bad. It seems I can't hide anything from you. Do you possess the ability to read minds?" he looked at Hikuro sheepishly, but Hikuro didn't find that funny. After all, the boy had indeed had ulterior motives.

Hikuro was about to yell at the boy to just get out of his 'room' when Rikuo spoke again unexpectedly, "You're right… there is something other than this befriending thing. I… we need your power, Hikuro."

Hikuro paused and held back his yell as he saw the urgency and the desperation in the boy's look. He chose to stay silent, though, while urging the boy to explain himself with his look.

"We're… in the middle of the war at this moment," Rikuo proceeded to say then, continuing. "Our opponent is too strong for us to handle alone. That's why we need you, Hikuro, to help us win this war against Nue."

Hikuro widened his eyes as he heard the name. "Nue?" That seriously pegged his interest. "As in… 'Nue' Abe no Seimei?" he hissed the name, venom dripping in the tone, feeling the infamous emotion called hatred welling up from his heart.

"Eh? You know about him?" Rikuo asked, looking upward at Hikuro with a surprised look.

Hikuro hissed again angrily. "Not only do I know of him… that bastard was the one who ordered my former comrades to seal me here!"

Oh, Hikuro wouldn't forget. That time… the bitter taste of the ash of his beloved one… the mocking face of that filthy hanyo…!

Hikuro was aware that his anger rose the temperature of the black fire around him, and he was quite surprised that Rikuo could withstand that. He immediately tried to calm himself down again, though. Despite the characteristics of his natural power, he wasn't exactly fond of destroying things without reason, and certainly not Rikuo just because he mentioned the name of his nemesis a thousand years ago.

"Nue… sealed you here?" Rikuo widened his eyes visibly, looking taken aback.

"Yeah… actually, he ordered the twelve of the Strongest 13 to do that. Ha, I can't believe he's still alive after all of that. Did he perfect his 'come back from the dead' technique or something?" Hikuro asked spitefully, getting pissed off.

"Actually… Nue was reborn by Hagoromo Gitsune," Rikuo said, looking serious while thinking of something.

"Reborn?" Hikuro blinked slightly before he bent his body lower and looked at Rikuo closely again. "He was reborn? Then… did he die at some point?" the black snake asked again.

"Yes," Rikuo nodded.

"Ha… he did die then, back then." Hikuro smirked. "Good. I hope he suffered in hell for a thousand years," then he laughed at that, feeling euphoric suddenly. Hell wasn't a kind place after all. He was glad that the bastard had been there.

"But, now he's back... and he will bring darkness for the human world. I... we can't let that happen," Rikuo said again, appearing to be distressed now.

Hikuro's laughter slightly died down as he glanced at the boy's look. He was wondering how this human could express such emotion just by his look. His feeling was so easy to read, almost too easy, as if he did that on purpose.

Hikuro smirked. The kid was interesting. Rikuo seemed to be an expert in making other people 'care' for him. Though, that wasn't enough for Hikuro. He could care less about the human world at that moment, after all.

"Why? If you just obey his words, he won't kill you, right?" Hikuro asked.

"That won't do. There are a lot of humans and youkai that I want to protect. I... and I... don't want to lose anyone important to me again..." Rikuo looked down, his expression so heartbreakingly sad that Hikuro actually felt a bit guilty.

_I see... he's an expert of making anyone go on a guilt trip too..._

Hikuro sighed. Well, there was no harm in it, though. After all, he had a debt to pay to that bastard Nue as well. Maybe lending his power to Rikuo wouldn't be a bad idea. Besides, he could be freed from that prison...

Yah, Hikuro would have a reason to leave that place, anyway. It wasn't like he couldn't free himself. He just didn't want to.

"Fine then," Hikuro said.

Rikuo whipped his head upward with an "Eh?"

And Hikuro's snake servants also widened their eyes in shock as they shouted "Hikuro-sama?"

"I said I will lend you a hand. Just let me warn you this one. I'm not made to 'protect'. My power is here to 'destroy' everything that hinders my path. Even so, are you still going to let me loose without the Shikigami contract?" Hikuro looked at Rikuo's eyes in the same level now. He no longer thought that this boy was below him.

After all, a human that has the intention of protecting other humans and even youkai couldn't be a bad person. Moreover, Rikuo's life energy was too monstrous for an ordinary human, and the boy was fascinating to boot.

"N-… no problem! That will be very helpful! So long as you don't decide to use your power recklessly, I think it's enough for me! I'm so grateful, Hikuro! I'm so happy that you accept me as a friend!" Rikuo said ecstatically. He looked so genuinely happy that Hikuro wanted to smile as well.

What a strange kid.

"_I want to be your friend, Hikuro!"_

Hikuro remembered something in his past, a long time ago. The shadow of a person that he wouldn't forget even after a thousand of years. Rikuo said the same thing as that person. Maybe, just maybe… he could feel it again. That wonderful feeling called 'love'.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Yoru was staring at the empty space seriously. No, he wasn't daydreaming or anything. In fact, he was thinking about something important. He was mulling over what Ryuuji and Yura had said to him, about Rikuo trusting him to the point that he wasn't afraid to die because he believed Yoru would be together with him till the end.<p>

In a way, it made sense because Yoru and Rikuo shared their senses. If Rikuo died, Yoru would die as well. But, that wasn't what bothered him. Rikuo wasn't afraid of losing him to something else. _What does that even mean?_—his mind couldn't help asking.

Yoru didn't understand. Rikuo didn't seem to know how he felt about the chocolate haired human boy, but he believed that Yoru had already confessed through their shared senses and his obvious gesture that he wanted Rikuo _that way_.

Even though Yoru could feel that Rikuo didn't feel the same way, he believed that he could win Rikuo's heart. But if Rikuo wasn't afraid of losing him, did that mean the boy insisted that they should be back to be in the same body again?

Frankly, Yoru didn't want that. He was stronger now, thanks to Pato's extreme survival training, and he could become stronger later if he trained more with Itaku and everyone else in Tonoo. Of course he would think of some new techniques that wouldn't involve matoi since he couldn't use it without Rikuo, but...

_What if Rikuo can perform matoi with me instead?_—Yoru thought that was a possibility. He had to try that later after Rikuo came back.

"Okay, this might do..." Yoru was about to stand when he felt enormous youki coming from the empty space in front of him, where the first barrier of Hikuro's prison was supposed to stand.

Yoru immediately jumped back from the spot and took a grip at the stalactite to stay above the ground, tensing beyond belief at the monstrous energy that was about to burst out. "Shit—!"

Yoru was almost caught in a blast as the barrier crumbled and massive of black fire pouring out of the obvious hole in the supposedly empty space.

"Wha—?" Yoru widened his eyes as someone leisurely walked out of the hole, in the middle of the flaming black fire; a tall, black haired guy with three colored eyes and with strange looking clothes. The clothes he wore were like a long sleeveless purple vest, covering simple short-sleeved white shirt and long white pants.

"W-wait, Hikuro!"

Yoru was startled as he heard another voice coming from the hole and surprised that he knew that voice very well. "Rikuo…!"

Indeed, Rikuo soon came out as well, running after the guy that he called Hikuro… _huh?_

_Hikuro?_—Yoru almost fell down from where he was hanging as he recognized the name. That would be bad because he could almost feel his skin burn from the heat that black fire had produced, even though he wasn't even near the damn thing. _Wait! How come Rikuo is alright walking in it?_—that was totally shocking and mysterious.

"Walk faster. Why are your legs so short?" Hikuro glanced at Rikuo mockingly.

"Ah, jeez! Shut up!" Rikuo blushed, looking totally embarrassed. "Besides, can you please be careful using your fire? What if there were people in front of the barrier just now?" he then proceeded to scold the fairly handsome guy who looked like he was in his mid twenties.

"So noisy. The barrier wouldn't have crumbled with less energy than just now," Hikuro said, yawning slightly, looking totally bored.

_That is Hikuro?_—Yoru couldn't help asking inwardly. He looked like ordinary youkai. Well, except for that inhumanly hot fire around him, of course. How come his clothes weren't burnt?

"Besides, who would want to wait in front of a barrier like this? That's stupid," Hkuro continued, deadpanned.

"As a matter of fact, I would," Yoru exclaimed from where he was hanging.

Hikuro paused and then looked upward to Yoru. So did Rikuo whose face immediately brightened tenfold. "Yoru!" and he immediately waved at the youkai while smiling cheerily.

"Hoo? So that's your other half?" Hikuro asked, not releasing his gaze from Yoru as he looked the youkai over.

"And I'm not stupid," Yoru said, narrowing his eyes at this Hikuro suspiciously. After all, he didn't know if he would be an ally or an enemy despite their initial purpose to get him out from the seal that imprisoned him for almost a thousand years.

Rikuo blinked once, followed by Hikuro twice, before the glasses wearing boy chuckled and then burst out laughing while a bead of sweat rolled down Hikuro's cheek.

"Are you guys serious?" Hikuro asked, shaking his head while swaying his hand, extinguishing the flaming black fire around them so Yoru could come down to greet them more comfortably.

"Oh Yoru, you can be so funny and amusing sometimes," Rikuo was still laughing merrily at that.

But Yoru was glad that Rikuo seemed to be very okay. He actually came back alive… with Hikuro at his tail… or maybe it was the other way around, but the point is, Rikuo made it.

"As expected from my Rikuo," Yoru smiled slightly, jumping down in front of the taller dark haired guy and Rikuo.

"Yoru!" Rikuo immediately ran to hug him on the waist, surprising Yoru a little bit, but it sent a pleasant feeling that Rikuo seemed to be so… passionate. "I made it! Hikuro agreed to help us!" he said, looking upward at the silver-black haired youkai with clear happy eyes.

Yoru softened his expression as he hugged the boy back. "Welcome back, Rikuo," he said, leaning down to give the boy a job-well done kiss.

However, before his lips touched Rikuo's forehead, someone already grabbed Rikuo's collar and pulled the boy away from Yoru's embrace. Yoru blinked. So did Rikuo. Yoru and Rikuo then looked upward as their eyes met Hikuro's rascal look.

"Really, I'd prefer you not touching Rikuo so intimately, youkai," Hikuro said, giving Yoru a slight smirk which made a vein pop up on Yoru's head.

"What?" Yoru asked, very annoyed so suddenly that the shikigami dared to interrupt his and Rikuo's moment.

"Err… Hikuro…?" A bead of sweat rolled down Rikuo's cheek.

"His purity will be soiled by the likes of you," Hikuro said, patting Rikuo's head gently.

Now that pissed Yoru very much. "Don't be so cocky, shikigami!" he growled at the dark haired shiki, glaring at his black-golden-amethyst eyes.

"Hoo? Want to taste my black fire directly?" Hikuro was already rising his hand and lighting the black fire on his index finger.

"Waaaah! Don't fight! I meant, if Hikuro burns Yoru, I'll get burnt too!" Rikuo shouted in alarm.

"Ah," Yoru and Hikuro then looked at Rikuo and Yoru realized that that would happen if it continued.

"Well, since you are his other half, I thought you'd be as fascinating as Rikuo. But it seemed that that wasn't the case," Hikuro chuckled, slinking his arm on Rikuo's shoulders. "He'll die instantly touching my fire," he snickered.

"Oi!" Yoru yelled at Hikuro for insulting him and getting too close to his Rikuo.

"Ah, um… let-let's just inform Yura-san and Ryuuji-san, okay?" Rikuo seemed to try to attempt to be the peace maker between the shiki and youkai.

"If you say so," Hikuro said, smiling slightly at Rikuo while the chocolate-black haired boy only laughed nervously and more veins popped up on Yoru's head as he was getting even more pissed off seeing how he looked at _his_ Rikuo.

_This Hikuro…! The bastard is so damn RUDE! And what's the meaning of that look?_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Ryuuji almost dropped his jaw while Yura's eyes seemed about to pop out of their sockets when he and his sister were face to face with the legendary Giant Black Fire shikgami, Hikuro, in the flesh.<p>

_He really made it…!_—Ryuuji was astoundingly speechless as he stared at the goofy expression Rikuo was making.

"Oh, my GOD! Did Rikuo-kun really master Hikuro…?" Yura's eyes widened even more if it was possible. She looked like a fish out of water now.

Hikuro didn't say anything, but his eyes were calculative as he looked at Ryuuji and Yura alternatively. Rikuo chuckled sheepishly, while Yoru looked pissed for some reasons.

"Um… it's not exactly mastering, you see. I just asked Hikuro to be my friend," Rikuo said, grinning in accomplishment.

…

…

"WHAT?" Both Ryuuji and Yura turned to face Rikuo now, unceremoniously dropping their jaws in total horror.

_MOROOOOOOON!_—Ryuuji, followed by Yura of course, immediately grabbed each of Rikuo's wrists and then pulled the boy to the side to give the boy and earful of scolding because he was an idiot!

"Are you INSANE? You can't just let loose a shikigami in Hikuro's caliber into the human world without a contract! What if he decides to be our enemy instead of our ally? You can't control him without a contract, you idiot!" Yura screamed in undertone so as not to be heard by Hikuro.

"You are totally unbelievable! Even after I told you specifically to master him! What in the world are you thinking?" Now Ryuuji shouted quietly as well, gripping Rikuo's wrist so hard. It must have hurt because he felt the by flinch a little.

"Err… well, I think it will be alright. Hikuro doesn't seem too bad, right? And… he isn't as scary as the rumors say about him…" Rikuo said, smiling sincerely.

Seeing Rikuo's soft expression, Ryuuji got the urge to slap his own forehead, or _better_, to smack Rikuo on the back of his head. He couldn't believe that the boy was so… so naïve like that. Even though Hikuro seemed like a good guy, it didn't change the fact that the shikigami was a dangerous creature! It was too risky! Forget about Seimei. Without a contract, Hikuro was as threatening as Seimei in destroying human world.

Why oh why did Ryuuji think Rikuo would act according to Ryuuji's plan? Oh, right… Ryuuji forgot that Rikuo was the grandson of Nurarihyon. Of course he was so unpredictable, keen and prone to destroying Ryuuji's perfectly made plan.

Ryuuji sighed deeply in defeat. He really wished that Rikuo was still a youkai so he could exterminate him at that moment.

"Ah, damn it, Rikuo-kun! Why are you so naïve? Hikuro indeed looks harmless, but he was sealed for a reason, you know!" Yura was still scolding Rikuo. "Besides, how could you get him out of the seal, anyway? If he wasn't in the contract, he wasn't supposed to be able to free himself from there!"

Now that interested Ryuuji as well. According to the record, Hikuro wasn't allowed to get out of his prison unless he was mastered by some strong capable Onmyouji.

"Ah, about that…" Rikuo was about to answer when someone else beat him to it.

"How laughable. Do you think that level f barrier is strong enough to seal me?"

Ryuuji whipped his head around, only to find that Hikuro was already behind him. _Since when had he…?_

"I stayed inside the barrier for a thousand years on my own freewill. Besides, the barrier wasn't exactly a closed space. It was more like a cage. I could send out a small part of my power through the gaps sometimes to see the human world. Recently, I peeked out through the gap in Nijou Castle because I felt a trace of enormous power there, but it wasn't there anymore when I got there." Hikuro explained.

"Apparently, the barrier wasn't actually strong enough to contain Hikuro's full power," Rikuo continued explaining. "He said that he could actually get out of there on his own, but he was just lazy because he didn't think there was a need for him to be out. He seems quite fond of sleeping in his chamber…"

"That's why, the rumor isn't even close to the real thing about my power. I'm much-much stronger than that," Hikuro smirked now, seeming to be amused.

"Seriously…?" Yura gaped and Ryuuji was speechless again.

"Yes. Hikuro tore open the barrier using his fire," Rikuo nodded, a bead of sweat dropping from his cheek.

"Hmmp, show off bastard," Yoru grunted, seeming to be annoyed.

"Anyway, I agreed to Rikuo's proposal to be his friend, since he seems interesting. Ah, also… there's one more thing." Hikuro combed his hair back. "Tell me about this 'Nue' in more detail. I want to give him a payback, along with the interest."

**End of Chapter 10**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for the very long wait, guys. Just came back from the honeymoon in Korea, so… heheh. Anyway, what do you think of this chapter? Hkuro was finally out now and he already showed sign that he would bother Yoru and Rikuo's relationship progress! XD This will be hilarious. Well, just wait for what I can do to cook the almost boiling water *grins*


	11. Link

**Disclaimer: Nurarihyon no Mago © Shiibashi Hiroshi**

**Warning: **_shounen ai, AU-canon divergence, foul language, slight oOC-ness, OMC, etc…_

**A/N: **Heya, everyone…, it's been what? Two years since my last update? I know… but I'd been writing this chapter once in awhile when I was writing for other fandom. So… I've lost contact with my beta too for neglecting this story for so long, but I hope I've learned something or two from her and produced a better writing this time around. Well, what are you guys waiting for? No need to mind my useless babble. Please, ENJOY!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: <em>Link<em>**

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey, hey Hikuro, look!"<em>

_Hikuro opened his eyes and a teenage boy with straight, waist-length chocolate hair pointed at the scenery bellow the hill. His formal dark blue and white hakama fluttered along with his hair as the middle spring wind breezed softly. Sakura and other flowers petals danced around him as if they were happy that he was there. His smile was so bright and shiny that Hikuro was almost blinded by how beautiful the view was._

"_You see that, Hikuro?" he asked, grasping Hikuro's big hand in his smaller one. "One day… one day grandfather will conquer this land, Hikuro. Then you and I can finally become a real family," he grinned at the black serpent who could only smile softly at him._

"_Aren't you afraid I will burn this whole place with my fire, Young Master?" he asked, rather hesitantly._

_The boy pouted at him. "Sheesh… I told you not to call me that," he huffed. "You're neither grandfather' nor my shikigami, Hikuro. You're a free shiki. After all, you and I are…"_

…

Hikuro opened his eyes as he felt some… _youkai_ stare at him. It really had been awhile since he was surrounded by so many people. In his whole life before… he was always alone. Everyone was too scared to be around him because of his black fire. Oh, he could control it just fine. But sometimes… sometimes when he was embarrassed, or surprised, or angry, or overwhelmed, there would be a small spark of fire that came out of him unintentionally.

That small flick of his power could burn another _youkai_ or person to death. That's why everyone didn't want to come near him.

_Except for that child…_

Hikuro couldn't help tugging the corners of his mouth up slightly at the memory of that boy. Such small, naïve boy… a boy that later became the most important person in his life, his beloved one…

"_I love you, Hikuro."_

Hikuro felt a small ache in his heart.

"_I love you too… Ri…"_

But romantic love between a _shikigami_ and a human was taboo. He wasn't allowed to have such feelings towards him. Why wasn't he allowed to have it?

"_Hi…kuro…" _

Hikuro remembered _his_ bloody hand reaching for Hikuro's cheek. A sad, resigned smile in his fading consciousness as his body slowly but surely burning, disintegrating into ashes in the bright flaming red.

"_Why…?! Why did you kill him, Seimei!?"_

"_Is that what you think he did?! You are a disgrace to our kind, Black Serpent!" Suzaku the Phoenix, one of his supposed 'friends' and 'comrades', shrieked at him from beside the guy that had murdered his beloved. _

_Abe no Seimei opened his mouth. He said something… something that caused his black fire to rise so exponentially that the Rashomon gate was opened and the entire Aizu land was fried to the ground. So many people died in the Fire of Aizu. So many souls were lost in his black fire._

"_I'm going to kill you! I swear to heaven and hell, Abe no Seimei! No matter if it takes a thousand or a hundred thousand years! I will rise once again and I will KILL YOU!"_

Hikuro bit his lower lip. _Hatred_. The fire of hatred that was even darker than his black fire was still blazing inside his heart. The pain of losing _his beloved_ had fueled that hatred and now… even though that pain had dulled a little… that hatred remained strong and scorching.

_Soon… my love…—_Hikuro thought in silence. _Soon I'll pick you up and finally… we will become one… for eternity…_

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Rikuo was feeling rather insecure.<p>

In the end, after Ryuuji and Yura talked to Hikuro about Seimei, the Giant Black Serpent still didn't show any feeling on the outside. Even though Rikuo had seen how Hikuro apparently hated Seimei with passion, except for his absolute confidence as the strongest shiki, Hikuro guarded his feelings rather tightly from other people's observation. Moreover, Yoru seemed to dislike Hikuro for some reason.

Worse, Rikuo was lectured harshly by Ryuuji and Yura _again _for disregarding the 'mastering Hikuro' part. He sighed deeply. It was only a day, and it had already become so troublesome. Though, he kind of felt slightly happy that Hikuro seemed to like him just fine. Unlike when the black snake was with anyone else, Hikuro faced Rikuo as an equal. He didn't even mind entertaining Rikuo with mindless chatter.

"Don't talk to me. You are annoying. Piss off." Hikuro only had to say those three rude sentences to gain an instant antipathy from the other youkai in Nura Gumi and even from the Keikain people.

Kubinashi was in the verge of blowing up in total fury. If Kurotabou and Kejorou hadn't been holding him back, the blond-black haired neck-less youkai would probably have attacked the Black Snake. Hikuro mostly ignored everyone else sans Rikuo after that, aggravating the others too.

"Some personality he has…!" Aotabou was visibly seething with veins of irritation popping up his temples.

"Can't be helped, he's the Legendary Shikigami," Tsurara laughed apologetically, but her eyebrows were twitching too, visibly angry at the way Hikuro behaved and treated the other youkai like some lesser beings. Well, technically they _were_ lesser beings, but still….

"But, as long as you guys leave him alone, he is pretty quiet, right?" Rikuo tried to cool his subordinates' temper as he saw the sign of hostility they showed towards Hikuro quite… noticeably.

"I still dislike him," Yoru growled, not averting his hawk-like glare from Hikuro who completely disregarded him.

"So long as he doesn't suddenly go crazy and blindly use his power to attack us…" Yura sighed deeply, looking somewhat defeated.

"Now, what to do with him?" Nurarihyon suddenly piped in, seemingly rather curious to try to poke on the super strong Shikigami.

"Don't even think about it, Jiichan," Rikuo warned the old geezer with a suspecting frown, knowing his grandfather's habit to prank people that remotely interested him.

"What are you talking about?" Nurarihyon showed him a crocodile smile and Rikuo was about to reprimand the old man when the door to the cottage was open from the outside, revealing Ryuuji and Akifusa.

"Ryuuji-san," Rikuo greeted as the two Onmyouji entered.

Ryuuji glanced around in disgust at the horde of youkai around him while Akifusa sent Rikuo a kind smile. He conspicuously glanced at Hikuro afterwards, probably a bit interested. "I can't believe that I finally meet the legendary _shikigami_ Hikuro in the flesh. What did you do that he actually agreed to go with you, Rikuo-kun?" the platinum blond man finally asked after he sat down in front of Rikuo.

Ryuuji sat beside the older man with a loud thump. "Hmph. He's just being a naïve idiot," he put words in Rikuo's mouth mockingly and Rikuo laughed sheepishly at that.

"Well, his power is necessary indeed, even though I don't like him at all," Yoru, seeming to appear out of nowhere, suddenly sat beside Rikuo while grumbling and letting out a deep sigh. "He has one hell of personality to boot. It's only the first day, and he manages to make everyone hate him already," his frown prominently deepened now.

"He isn't friendly, but he's not a bad guy," Rikuo tried to defend his newly made comrade. "He has agreed to help us. Isn't that good enough?" he continued, looking down on his lap and fidgeting slightly.

Yoru groaned slightly seeing the gesture. "Right… you already decided to befriend him. You are always like that," he pinched the bridge of his nose, seeming to get a headache.

Rikuo pouted. "But you are like that too. Remember Itaku?" he muttered then.

"That's different!" Yoru protested.

"How is it different? Hikuro wants to help us defeat Nue, just like Itaku agreed to come with us to defeat Hagoromo Gitsune," Rikuo argued.

Yoru narrowed his eyes at Rikuo now, another argument seeming ready to come out of his mouth, but he held back, thinking the better of it. "You just didn't realize his true intention," he grunted, averting his crimson eyes away from Rikuo.

"Huh?" Rikuo didn't understand that. "What do you mean by that?"

"So," Ryuuji cut their exchange before Yoru could say anything else. "What do you plan after getting Hikuro? Are you going to start _using _him to practice technique?" the dark haired Onmyouji asked Rikuo then, ignoring Yoru's complaint because Ryuuji interrupted Rikuo and Yoru's conversation.

"Using… him?" Rikuo looked at Ryuuji rather confusedly.

"He's a shikigami. You _will_ use him in a combat at some point, right?" Ryuuji raised his eyebrows at Rikuo. "Normally, Shikigami enters human realm with his master's permission and it commonly 'uses' its master's energy to 'exist' and 'fight' since being in human realm drains its own energy very much. That's why there's a contract between the user and the shiki. The users allow the shiki to borrow their life energy for period of time in exchange of its specialty in combat or in anything else. It's an 'equal' trade between them. Shikigami help protect their users' life or make the users' life easier and they will gain reputation and experience from the 'combat' or from whatever chores the users make them do.

"That's why… it surprised me that Hikuro actually entered this realm with his _own_ energy. Of course, he is Hikuro, but it's also because he _is _especially, a Shikigami in his caliber, it must have taken quite tremendous of power from Hikuro himself… and he can still maintain his main 'body' in this realm as well…. Just how powerful is he?" Ryuuji added, apparently speaking to himself at the end because he didn't look at Rikuo anymore. Instead, he stared at the wooden floor, his index finger and his thumb nested on his chin, seeming to think deeply.

"Well, it was said that he was almost in par with Ryuujin-sama, the Great Dragon of Fujiyama, so… We can't possibly imagine his maximum power," Akifusa smiled ruefully at his brother.

"Um… wait. Hold on a second. Isn't shikigami basically the same as youkai? I mean, they can decide what they want to do by themselves, right? Why do I need to use him?" Rikuo was confused.

"Well, they _have _to do what you ask them to do because they are bound by the contract. But in Hikuro's case… he's practically free to do whatever. He's an odd one. Not like other shikigami… why?" Yura seemed to think seriously about it too.

"Indeed… he looks more like a youkai than a shikigami," Ryuuji nodded, looking grave while conspicuously glancing at the silent shiki.

For some unfathomable reason, Hikuro seemed to notice that they were talking about him and he focused his eyes on Ryuuji, meeting his secret gaze. Ryuuji immediately looked the other way but Rikuo noticed that Hikuro already caught him looking.

Hikuro didn't say anything before he closed his eyes. Rikuo tilted his head aside and decided. "I'm going to ask Hikuro something." Then he stood.

"Eh?" the three Onmyouji looked at Rikuo in alarm.

"Rikuo," Yoru didn't seem to like the idea as well.

"It's alright. He treats me rather differently from everyone else," Rikuo smiled softly at them and they were obviously still worried, but didn't say anything else to stop him as Rikuo approached Hikuro.

The black snake looked upward at Rikuo when he arrived and Rikuo smiled slightly at him. "Hey, Hikuro, why don't you be a little nicer to everyone?" he sat in front of the shiki afterwards.

Hikuro snorted slightly in reaction."What's the point? They _fear_ me, and they should," he drawled then, the corner of his mouth twitching up forming an arrogant smirk.

"Hmm… because you can hurt them?" Rikuo asked again.

"Yes. I _can_," Hikuro huffed lightly.

"And you don't want them to get hurt. That's why you don't want them near you," Rikuo added.

Hikuro almost sputtered, probably surprised, but he seemed to catch himself before doing so. "Wha—? I don't particularly…!" his cheeks were colored slightly.

Rikuo chuckled. "Hikuro… is very kind, huh?" then he laughed.

Hikuro's face visibly flushed now. "Shut up!" he shouted and his black fire coming out of his body and everyone in the room gasped in horror because the fire licked Rikuo's body beside the black serpent.

"Rikuo-sama!"

"Rikuo-kun!"

"Rikuo!"

"It's alright!" Rikuo raised his hand, stopping everyone that was about to launch themselves to Hikuro—probably thinking that they had to save Rikuo from the black fire— and grinned widely, his life energy surrounding him like invisible barrier that even the black fire couldn't penetrate. "I'm protected all the time. Hikuro won't hurt me." Well, he spoke more to Hikuro than his subordinates though… or Yoru… and the Keikain.

Rikuo could see in his peripheral vision that the youkai and the Onmyouji let out a relieved sigh, but their expressions were still wary. They stared at Rikuo and Hikuro blatantly now, especially at Hikuro. They were more like glaring at him though, as if they warned the shiki silently.

"Hn," Hikuro promptly ignored all of them including Rikuo now. Apparently, the black snake was a little bit of _tsundere_ himself. "You're lucky to have such powerful life energy, Rikuo… or else." He sat back creating more distance from Rikuo's sitting spot. "You shouldn't get too close to me, just in case." He averted his gaze from the boy and Rikuo felt a slight pang at the flash of loneliness that he could see in Hikuro's triple colored eyes.

"But I'm totally fine. You can't hurt me unintentionally, Hikuro." Rikuo grinned, even making effort to tap Hikuro's shoulder reassuringly. Hikuro blinked once before a very tiny smile bloomed in his expression which apparently surprised the other occupants in that room.

Even Yoru widened his eyes with a slightly slacked jaw. Kejorou visibly blushed and Tsurara seemed conflicted of how to react because Hikuro's expression at that moment was very gentle and Rikuo himself felt slightly astounded at how good looking Hikuro was when his guard was down like that.

"You definitely should smile more often," Rikuo commented, still rather stunned.

"What?" Hikuro tilted his head slightly, most likely bemused with the others gawking.

"Smile, Hikuro! You have the power to entice people with just your smile!" Rikuo laughed then, totally amused because Hikuro's confused expression was very funny.

"I don't get you," the black serpent just huffed, scowling slightly, probably because he thought Rikuo was making fun of his facial expression, which wasn't too far off the truth, except Rikuo was more praising, rather than ridiculing.

"You don't have to get what I said. Just _smile_," Rikuo insisted and for a moment, he thought Hikuro saw someone else in him, just for a brief moment, since his gaze turned rather nostalgic before the look was quickly replaced with something more like _annoyance_.

"Shut it, Kid." Hikuro growled again then, clearly making effort to ignore Rikuo after that despite the constant babble that Rikuo provided him in the following hours.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"Alright, we still have to go to the secret lair of those Kyoto youkai. Who's going to go with me?" Yoru announced at the afternoon, after everything was settled and everyone was sure that Hikuro wouldn't suddenly go berserk and attack anyone else around him.<p>

"I'll go with you, Master," Tsurara raised her hand enthusiastically.

"Then include me too, _Waka_," Aotabou followed.

"Wait, I want to go too," Kubinashi raised his hand as well in protest.

"Hold your horses. It's not fair if it's always you guys. I should go this time," Kurotabou spoke huffily.

Then several other youkai, even Jyami argued that they should be included too in this search.

Yoru sighed at their bickering. "We've established that not all of you can go. Who is going to protect Rikuo if you all go with me?" he boomed then, causing the buzz to halt.

"It's alright, Yoru. I'll be with Ryuuji-san and Akifusa-san. Besides, Hikuro is here." Rikuo turned to Hikuro, smiling at him. "You're going to protect me, right?"

"I told you, I'm not here to 'protect'," Hikuro reminded him. "My power is to 'destroy'."

"In other words, he didn't say no." Rikuo didn't seem to care with Hikuro's different phrasing which caused Hikuro to hiss lightly, but he didn't verbally complain, so Yoru thought it was good enough. Besides, despite his dislike of the shiki, Rikuo seemed to trust him very much. Rikuo was a great judge of character. It should count for something.

_But I feel kind of worried for some reason. I don't know why, but I can't help feeling that Hikuro wasn't telling us everything about his history with Seimei…—_Yoru narrowed his eyes slightly at the shiki before he shook his head a bit. _Though, his hatred seems genuine enough. Well, at least the common enemy part is true. Doesn't mean I like the way Rikuo seems smitten with him, though._

He couldn't help scowling in annoyance as he remembered how cute and adorable Rikuo was when he was smiling at Hikuro. That kind of smile should only be reserved for Yoru. Rikuo was his other half and he intended to make Rikuo fall for him too.

"Well, I still want at least one of _my_ trusted subordinates to be your shadow, Rikuo. Just in case," Yoru stood his ground defiantly, partly just to spite Hikuro by showing that he didn't exactly trust the black serpent.

Kubinashi and Kurotabou silently and hesitantly looked at each other before they both sighed. "Alright, Sandaime, we'll stay behind to protect Rikuo-sama," they said in unison.

"If Kubinashi stays behind, then so do I," Kejorou smiled.

"Alright, then Tsurara, Aotabou, Kappa and Sanba Garasu will come with me," Yoru agreed before he turned and to look at Yura as well. "Do you want to go kick some youkai ass as well or not, Yura?"

"Aren't you going to gather information?" Yura clicked her tongue.

"Well, if they refuse… we can use some of your monstrous purifying energy to threaten them," Yoru smirked, shrugging slightly.

"You just don't want to waste your own youki to do that," Yura snorted and Yoru laughed at that.

"That too," he confessed honestly and Yura seemed surprised that Yoru actually bantered with her humorously like that.

"Fine then, but if you try anything funny, I'll shoot your butt with Yura Max," she agreed then, albeit while scowling.

"Alright, everyone, let's go!" Yoru signaled and the party that was going to look for the daughter of Kyoukotsu immediately made their move to dispatch. Though, before he really left the room, he jumped to Rikuo's side for a moment and pulled the smaller boy aside, a little bit away from the Kekkains and the shiki.

"What's wrong, Yoru?" Rikuo looked upward at him with a slightly puzzled look.

"I still haven't gotten that victory kiss earlier," Yoru leaned into Rikuo and whispered smoothly in Rikuo's ear, causing the shorter boy to blush a pretty pink.

"W-wha—?! What are you—?!" Rikuo was very adorable when he was embarrassed and Yoru couldn't help grinning for successfully arousing such reaction from his other half. "You're just making fun of me, aren't you?" Now Rikuo puffed out his cheeks, looking annoyed as well.

"Of course not, Rikuo, don't you know how I feel about you already?" Yoru smirked and Rikuo's face flushed a shade darker if it was possible. Yoru softened his smile and decided not to tease Rikuo anymore and simply landed a kiss on Rikuo's cheek for now.

"Hey!" Rikuo pulled back and slapped his own left cheek to cover it with his palm. "What was that for?!"

"For good luck," Yoru pulled Rikuo closer to him once again and rested his forehead on Rikuo. "I'll receive the _real deal_ after I come back from this quest, okay?"

Rikuo seemed deeply flustered, but he grumbled at him, still with red face. "You're so cheesy." He huffed and Yoru couldn't help laughing at that before he said good bye for real and quickly got out to his waiting team.

**#**

"Is it alright if you stay here while your youkai is out there? What about your shared sense?" Ryuuji asked in light whisper so as not to be heard by anyone else beside Rikuo after the boy reasserted himself between him and Akifusa.

"I think it's going to be okay. Pato-kun made sure that Yoru can survive without me around him. Besides, this could be some kind of real life training for both of us… just in case if we couldn't really go back to be in one body anymore," Rikuo answered just as low. "And Yura will keep him in line for me," he smiled then.

Ryuuji shrugged. "Well, let's use this opportunity for you to train the usage of your life energy. Even though you store a monstrous amount of it, if it keeps leaking out like that it's just the matter of time until you run out of it." He smirked, patted Rikuo's shoulder before he grabbed his collar and dragged the younger boy to the training ground.

Rikuo groaned loudly at that and for some reason Hikuro decided to follow them to the training ground.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Yoru's team arrived at a place which looked a lot like a mansion. It was quite big, but despite the modern looking, the building gave out some kind of strange aura.<p>

"This is it?" Yoru faced Kappa and the smaller water youkai nodded inconspicuously.

"I believe so, Sandaime. There's massive amount of youki coming from the inside," he reported quietly.

"And you're positive that it's from those Kyoto youkai?" Yoru narrowed his eyes, making sure.

"Yes, I fought some of those youkai and their youki signatures are quite familiar to me." Kappa replied in absolute certainty, so Yoru bought it immediately.

"Alright, stay close to me. I'll try to cloak us with my _Nurari-Kurari_ technique so as not to alert them of our arrival until we can find Kyoukotsu's daughter." As on cue, all the youkai that came with him and Yura, despite her slight protest for being in so close proximity with him and the others, stuck close to him and they moved, invading the mansion.

_There are some humans here—_Yoru noted. A pair of middle aged couple dressed in all black suit and dress. The man looked really pained while the woman was crying sadly into her handkerchief. Some other people wearing servant and maid uniforms were around too, along with a few other people that seemed to be their guests, dressed in relatively dark clothes as well. They appeared to be quite… somber, as if they were mourning—_?!_

Yoru remembered Yamabuki, the way she died in his arms, her last longing smile as she called Rihan's name and how she wished that Rikuo was her and Rihan's child. He gritted his teeth in resurfacing fury and regret.

"Of course… they must have been the girl's parents… and her friends and colleagues…" Yura sounded solemn when she whispered in realization as well.

_At least the human part of her life… despite having been controlled by Hagoromo Gitsune since she was ten… some part of Yamabuki's 'human' personality had to still be contained to fool her parents and friends_—Yoru closed his eyes, a little bit angry with himself for not being able to save her. She was a different person from Hagoromo Gitsune. Yamabuki was…

"_Onee-chan!"_

Little Rikuo smiled at her so happily. He had thought very surely that she was his sister. She was family… and she killed Rihan, his father. But even so… in that brief moment as she played with Rikuo, Yoru knew Rikuo was happy, and how much pain that day cost both of Rikuo and Yoru in the end never eradicated that brief, overwhelming happiness for being with her.

_All the more reason we can't forgive Nue…! That bastard and his cronies are going to pay…!_—Yoru perfectly knew indulging himself in negative emotion when he wasn't with Rikuo was a very bad idea. He didn't actually want to test Ryuuji's theory about Rikuo being his stopper and being away from the smaller boy would eventually turn him completely evil.

"Sandaime?" Aotabou's whisper jarred Yoru from his train of thought. He nodded in silent acknowledgment and gestured him to continue. "These people are here for a funeral, it seems."

"I think so too. Hagoromo Gitsune… Oh, I mean, Yamabuki-san was a daughter of a family that live in this house," Tsurara sounded a bit sympathetic. Yoru glanced at her. She wasn't from the era where Yamabuki Otome had been Rihan's wife. She didn't know Yamabuki personally. But… _her mother_ on the other hand…

Both Yoru and Rikuo still didn't know the entire history of Tsurara's mother, Setsura. Rumor said she left Nura Gumi three years after Yamabuki left. There might have been some connection for both of their disappearances, but apparently it was quite a sensitive topic. Nurarihyon might have known something, yet he acted as if he didn't, and his father… Rihan had _never_ spoken of Setsura's name, not even once as far as both Yoru and Rikuo remembered it.

But now was not the time to be mulling over that thought. Yoru just have to file it first to be researched _later_. There was a pressing matter at hand. "We should find where Yamabuki's body is. I'm sure Kyoukotsu's daughter is with her." Yoru commanded.

"Yes," the other youkai nodded in affirmation and they started to move faster, following the trail of guests that seemed to go to and come from the same direction.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>Hikuro silently observed when Ryuuji and Akifusa explained something to Rikuo. It seemed that Rikuo hadn't known how to control the leak of his life energy. It must have had something to do with the fact that he and <em>that youkai<em> had been sharing a body until recently.

_So… Rikuo and that youkai had the same body at first… Day and Night, huh? What a strange combination. Just like two sides of the same coin… they shouldn't have been able to face each other, but for some reason, they do now… A miracle? Or…_

"Even if you tell me to imagine it, I don't even know the image. Can you at least give me a more specific form of how to contain it?"

Rikuo's voice brought Hikuro back from his musing. He focused his attention once again on the kid and the two Onmyouji.

Ryuuji visibly sighed in exasperation while Akifusa smiled apologetically. "Every Onmyouji has different imagination on how to suppress their life energy. For example, mine. I have to imagine that I seal all of my power so as not to leak it." Akifusa explained slowly, apparently making sure to use common people's term so as not to confuse Rikuo.

"Seal… what about Ryuuji-san?" Rikuo turned to face Ryuuji with curious look.

"I simply remember that I can't waste my limited life energy and it stops leaking on its own," Ryuuji huffed.

"Sheesh… that's helpful," Rikuo pouted while muttered sarcasm.

Hikuro sighed as Ryuuji seemed annoyed and started to grab Rikuo in a headlock and knuckled his head after that while Rikuo was whining for being treated so roughly as Akifusa tried to separate them. Such peaceful view, indeed. It seemed that they weren't really bothered that their common enemy (Hikuro refused to refer _his name_ anymore now, lest he got angry enough to burn that place down) was freely plotting the next war while they were bickering like a bunch of useless children.

_Seriously, those humans…_

Hikuro just couldn't watch this anymore because their loud voices irritated him. "A bubble," he said, loud enough to be heard by the party in the middle of the training ground.

"Excuse me?" Rikuo turned to face Hikuro with a puzzled expression.

"Imagine that you are inside a bubble and that bubble prevents your life energy from leaking out." Hikuro lowered his eyelids and tilted his face up slightly acting bored out of his mind. "You can already cover your entire body with your life energy. Try to condense it inside the bubble."

"A bubble…" Rikuo slowly closed his eyes and it seemed that he followed the instruction because the air around him started to change. The massive life energy that poured out of his body uncontrollably just a minute ago started to only hover around him. Of course it couldn't be seen with naked eyes, but trained fighters like Onmyouji and shikigami could feel it clearly as if it were actually visible.

"Wow… it actually works," Ryuuji whistled, his eyes enlarging a bit.

"Amazing… it feels even stronger when Rikuo-kun press it together like that," Akifusa seemed awed by it.

"Thanks, Hikuro. You're a life-saver!" Rikuo then opened his eyes and threw Hikuro a wide happy grin and Hikuro's heart felt that _ache _again. He quickly tried to get rid of that feeling before it could show in his expression.

"Hn. It's an easy thing. Your instructors are just incompetent to teach," Hikuro chose to look the other way then, while trying to hide what he really felt by insulting those Onmyouji in the process.

"T-that's really rude…!" Ryuuji grumbled quietly, his body shaking in visible anger, but Hikuro just ignored him as Akifusa smiled ruefully with beads of sweat pouring down his cheek.

"Ah, you said something hurtful again, Hikuro! Sheesh…" Now Rikuo huffed, looking like he was offended too for his teachers' behalf. "You will lose friends that way, Hikuro." He warned.

"_You will lose your friends if you keep hurting them with your cold words, Hikuro! Sheesh…!"_

An instant recollection of his beloved one from the past, saying almost the same thing as Rikuo shook his core a little and apparently it showed on his face because Rikuo raised his eyebrows at him.

"Luckily, I don't need one," Hikuro scoffed and schooled his expression into a blank one. Rikuo didn't seem to buy his reason, so he decided to move. "I'll be on the roof if you need me." He stood and left the ground with confident steps, not wanting to clue in the kid that it was a hasty retreat on his part.

_I can't believe that Rikuo reminds me so much of him… Rin…—_Hikuro touched his chest secretly; the ache inside it just wouldn't go away.

* * *

><p><strong>~Yoru x Rikuo~<strong>

* * *

><p>"Yo."<p>

There was a brief silence before- "Kyaaaaa! What are you guys doing in here?!" Kyoukotsu screamed like a little girl she was when the Sandaime of Nura Gumi and his cronies suddenly appeared out of nowhere inside Yamabuki's room just after she got back from replacing the water lilies on the vase to put down on the bedside table. She actually jumped and almost dropped the vase and immediately readied her skull as a reflex to defend her safety.

"There's no need to be so hostile like that. I'm not here to hurt you," the silver-black haired demon smirked slightly at her, annoying her a bit since he had caught her completely off guard.

Kyoukotsu scowled at him. "So, why are you here? If you're going to disturb Onee-sama's funeral, I'm not letting you do as you please without a fight," she hissed, narrowing her eyes warningly.

"Relax, girl. Sandaime is here for you," the big white haired youkai with a blue robe and numerous little skulls on his neck grunted at her and she shifted her glare at him for a moment before her attention was back to the Sandaime.

"What do you want?" She lowered her stance, but still holding her skull, just in case.

"I just want to ask you about something," Sandaime jumped down from his hanging spot near the ceiling, followed closely by his subordinates. "But first, I want to thank you for returning Yamabuki's body to her family. You did something right, Daughter of Kyoukotsu." He softened his expression and his smirk slowly turned into a smile. "I appreciate it."

"Of course I did. Nee-sama was someone I admire for a long time, and even though it's just her body, I still want her to have a proper burial," Kyoukotsu harrumphed. "And I'm the Nidaime of Kaiten Kyoukotsu, just like how you are the Sandaime of Nurarihyon. So I'll appreciate it more if you just call me Kyoukotsu, Nurarihyon."

"The name is Rikuo, Kyoukotsu," Sandaime corrected, "Though I prefer Yoru at this moment."

Kyoukotsu raised one of her eyebrows. Was there a reason to change his name now? "Alright," she nodded, shrugging since she didn't really care about his reason. "Then, what do want to ask about, Yoru?"

Sandaime's expression changed again. This time he looked serious. "About Hagoromo Gitsune's death…" Kyoukotsu shuddered at the reminder of the tragedy. "When she went under… something happened to me."

"What do you mean something happened to you? You look perfectly fine," she scrutinized the taller man then, trying to spot if there was something different.

"Don't you notice it, Kyoukotsu? What time is it again?" Sandaime asked and she immediately realized what was wrong with the view.

"You're in your night form even though it's still day time," she widened her eyes, astonished.

"That's right," Sandaime nodded. "But that's not the only thing. Not only I can show up in day time, Kyoukotsu, but I also can materialize in this realm at the same time with my day form."

…

…

"Eh?" If it was possible, Kyoukotsu would pop her eyes out of their sockets in total shock. "EEEEEEEEEH?!"

**End of Chapter 11**

**Tbc…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Urgh… I know, evil cliff hanger. I hope some of the fans still lurk in the fandom and despite having to wait for like… forever for the update, some of this story readers will still read this continuation. I'm NOT stopping it whatsoever. I'm going to finish it no matter what! So… thoughts on the story?

Oh, right…before I forgot. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! XD Just in case I couldn't post anything before the end of the year~


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